Welcome To Tree Hill
by breezybrestories
Summary: Brooke Davis finds out she is pregnant after catching her best friend and boyfriend sneaking around behind her back. Brooke's parents leave for California and offer Brooke a chance to finish school in Tree Hill but she chooses to go to California. She leaves Tree Hill without a warning but five years later Brooke is back. Everything changes when she arrives back in Tree Hill.
1. Chapter 1

"Ladies and Gentleman welcome to Tree Hill. I hope you enjoyed your flights and I hope you enjoy your time in this unique small town. There is only one Tree Hill." The pilot of the plane said over the intercom.

Brooke was looking out of the window as the plane landed. In her lap sat her daughter Juliet.

After finding out she was pregnant Brooke fled to California with her parents.

"We're home sweetie!" Brooke whispered into the ear of her now five year old. It has been hard for Brooke to be a single parent but it has also been very rewarding.

"Is this our new home momma?" Juliet asked Brooke in her usual sweet voice.

"Yes sweetie. This is where momma grew up!" Brooke and Juliet exited the plane and entered the airport.

She held onto the little's girls hand as the two made their way through the airport. Everything still looked the same. The faux leather seats in the lounge where still torn in all of the same places with the cotton from the cushions still poking through. The smell of coffee still flowed through the air.

"It stinks in here momma." Said the sleepy five year old.

Brooke laughed, "I know honey! We'll be at our new house soon. It won't stink there I promise!"

Brooke's assistant, Millicent met Brooke and Juliet outside of the airport with a new car.

"Nice choice Millie!" Brooke said as she loaded her daughter into the back seat.

"Thank you." Millicent threw her boss Brooke Davis the keys to the sleek black Audi. "Your house is unloaded and decorated with no boxes in sight."

"Good job Millicent!" Brooke climbed into the driver side of the car.

"I guess I'll just take a taxi to my hotel." Millicent turned to fetch a taxi cab.

Brooke stopped her, "Nonsense! You can ride with Juliet and I and you can stay with us until you get your own place." She started the car and waited for Millicent to get in.

"Thank you!" Millicent ran around the black car and jumped into the passenger seat. "I promise not to be a nuisance."

Brooke laughed, "You are really unique Millie. You know that?" After for driving for only half an hour Brooke pulled into the driveway of a white three story beach house.

"Is this our new house momma?" Juliet asked from the backseat.

"It sure is." Brooke turned off the car and smiled at the sight of the house. "We're home now baby!"

"It's pretty!" Juliet squealed. "I can't wait to live here."

Both adults laughed at the five year old as they climbed out of the car. Brooke unloaded Juliet from the car and let her room up the stairs to the front door.

"Be careful sweetie!" She called out to her daughter. "Don't hurt yourself."

"I won't momma!" Juliet called back to her mother.

Millicent began to help Brooke unloaded her trunk. "So now that you're back in Tree Hill do you plan on telling Juliet's father that Juliet actually exists?"

xoxo

"Uncle Lucas!" Jamie Scott called out as Lucas walked into Karen's Café.

Nathan and Haley got married the year after Brooke left and soon after they found out they were having a baby. Jamie Scott was now four years old.

"Hey little man!" Lucas picked up his nephew and carried him over to the counter in the café.

Lucas was grateful for Haley keeping the café open after his mom left to go travel the world with her new husband, Andy and his little sister Lilly Scott.

"I am not little!" Jamie tried to tackle his uncle but Lucas' stance did not budge.

Haley came from the back of the kitchen and saw her son struggling to knock his uncle down. "Jamie Scott you be nice!" Haley called out to her son. "Now you apologize to your Uncle Lucas!"

"I'm sorry Uncle Lucas!" Jamie said in a soft voice.

Lucas laughed and tousled his nephew's sandy blond hair. "It's okay buddy." Lucas turned in his stool to face his best friend and sister-in-law Haley Scott. "So what is today's special?" He asked.

Haley looked around the full kitchen. "Peach pie is today's special!" She said with a laugh, "You know I am no good with picking the special." She poured herself a cup of coffee. "Want some?" Haley offered Lucas.

Lucas nodded, "Sure. Thanks Hales." He turned back to his nephew. "Shouldn't you be playing with toys and stuff?" He playfully teased his tiny nephew.

He still couldn't believe Nathan and Haley had a baby in high school. The two made it seem so easy. He knew he could never do it and still come out in one piece.

Jamie raced back to his table of toys in the corner of the café.

Haley handed Lucas his cup of coffee. "With two sugars and a whole bunch of cream!" She smiled and took the stool next to him.

"You still remember how I take my coffee?" He asked as he took a small sip.

"Why wouldn't I? You come in here every day asking for a cup." Haley laughed and took several small sips out of her coffee.

Lucas laughed with his friend, "True. True."

"So how you doing Luke?" Haley asked.

After Brooke left Lucas and Peyton broke up. Peyton left to go to California to find Brooke but had no luck. Instead she found her old high school crush Jake Jagielski. The two started dated and got married just a few months ago. Now they were back in town and Peyton had her own recording studio called Red Bedroom Records. Lucas recently started dating his publicist Lindsay. The two were getting pretty serious pretty fast but Haley knew Lucas still harbored feelings for his ex-girlfriend, Brooke Davis. No one had heard from Brooke except Haley and Haley promised to not tell Lucas about Juliet.

"I'm good!" Lucas admitted to Haley.

He could now look at the billboards with Brooke's face on them and not feel like he was being punched in the gut. He hadn't realized how much he loved Brooke until after she'd left without a word. He wanted many times to track her down but didn't want to be a burden upon her. He'd only hope he'd see her and that beautiful smile again.


	2. Chapter 2

"Rush and Shine!" Brooke said as she entered her daughter's new floral pink and purple bedroom.

"Good morning momma." Juliet covered her eyes with her tiny hands as Brooke turned on the light in her room.

"C'mon Julie let's get dressed and have breakfast." Brooke tugged at her daughter's covers and laughed when her daughter clung to her. "Or we can just have breakfast in our pajamas." She carried her daughter into the kitchen and sat her down at the dining room table. "What would my princess like for breakfast?"

"Oatmeal!" Juliet began to do the dance Brooke taught the two later named the breakfast dance.

Brooke laughed. "One oatmeal coming up."

She fixed her daughter's breakfast and waited for it to heat up while making herself some coffee. Juliet sat patiently at the table waiting for her breakfast. Brooke was so proud of herself for raising such a smart and talented little girl.

"Breakfast is served!" She put the bowl of oatmeal in front of Juliet.

Juliet picked up the spoon, "Ouch!"

Brooke's head popped up when her daughter said ouch. She was extremely protective of the little girl. She wanted to protect her from everything that could possibly hurt her.

"Blow on it sweetie." Brooke sat down at the table with her coffee. "Here let's blow on it together."

Juliet and Brooke both blew on the hot bowl of oatmeal.

"All better?" She asked her daughter after several moments of blowing and fanning of the oatmeal.

Juliet ate the oatmeal and smiled, "Better!"

"So momma wants to take you out so we can go see all around Tree Hill!" Brooke took several sips of her coffee.

She was planning on introducing Haley to Juliet today but it made her nervous because she didn't know if she could do that without seeing Lucas. Haley had promised to try and keep Lucas out of Karen's Café today so she could meet Juliet.

xoxo

At Karen's Café Haley was opening up.

"Jamie Scott let's eat so your father can take you to school!" She slipped the keys to the café into her brown leather shoulder bag as she walked into the kitchen.

"Yes ma'am." The little four year said as he slid into his usual booth.

His father Nathan entered the café soon after Haley and Jamie. "I hope eggs are on the menu!" Nathan tried to hint to his wife what he wanted for breakfast.

Haley laughed and came back to the front of the café wearing an apron."Eggs it is! You are not the most subtle man on the planet."

Nathan gave his shoulders a light shrug, "You love me anyways right?" He slid into the same booth as his son Jamie.

"Maybe!" Haley teased her husband before heading back into the kitchen to starting cooking her family breakfast.

Lucas walked into the little café previously owned by his mother.

"Hey family!" He pretended to look for Jamie. "Now where could my nephew Jamie have gone?" Lucas laughed as Jamie stood up in the booth.

"I'm right here Uncle Lucas!" Jamie waved his tiny hands above his head.

Lucas scratched the back of his head, "Oh there you are! You're just so tiny."

Jamie crossed his arms over his chest, "I am not tiny Uncle Lucas."

Lucas laughed, "Alright you aren't tiny. You just look tiny next to your gigantic father."

"Thanks a lot dad!" Jamie mumbled as he sat back down in the booth.

Both Nathan and Lucas laughed at the little boy. Haley came back to the front with Nathan and Jamie's eggs.

"Oh Luke! I didn't know you were coming in today?" She tried not to panic. She'd promised Brooke that she would keep Lucas out of the café all day.

Lucas shrugged her shoulders. "Just came to get a cup of coffee before heading to work."

Haley put the plate of eggs on the table her husband and her son were sitting. "Oh shoot I didn't make any coffee this morning." She put her hands on her hips. "Sorry Luke!"

Lucas frowned at his best friend, wondering what was up with her. "It's okay. I'll just wait." He sat down across from his brother and his nephew.

Haley sighed lightly, "Okay fine I'll get your coffee!" She rushed off to the kitchen to get the coffee started. She had to get Lucas out before Brooke got to the café with Juliet.

She tried to best to make the coffee fast but she couldn't make the machine speed up. "Luke you sure you want coffee? I thought you were having trouble sleeping?" Haley walked back to the front of the café frustrated.

Lucas eyed his best friend and laughed, "But its morning. I'm sure this cup of coffee won't keep me up all night and if it does I promise to swear off of coffee."

Haley turned to fetch Lucas' coffee, "But its morning." She mocked her friend underneath her voice. It wasn't like Haley to get easily frustrated but she didn't want to disappoint Brooke and ruin her plan to bring Juliet to the café. "One coffee. Two sugars and a whole lot of cream!" Haley gave Lucas his coffee in a to go cup.

Lucas looked at the cup, "Why do I feel like you're rushing me?" He asked Haley.

Haley looked up and saw Brooke approaching the café with Juliet.

"Because I am. Lucas can you help me out with something in the back?" She tried to pull him out of the booth but he didn't budge.

"What's wrong with you Hales?" Nathan asked his wife. "You're acting strange."

"No I'm not! How am I acting strange? I just need Lucas in the back!" Haley continued to pull him out of the booth. "C'mon Luke."

Lucas laughed and slid out of the booth. "I'm coming!" Just as Lucas stood up from the booth Brooke and Juliet entered the café.

"Oh shit." Haley said underneath her breath.

Lucas and Brooke met eyes then Lucas' eyes fell upon the child standing next to Brooke. Juliet was a perfect mixture of Brooke and Lucas physically.

"Brooke?" Lucas managed to get past the lump forming in his throat. This couldn't be. Brooke had a daughter who appeared to be five. In his head Lucas began counting back and his eyes widened. "Brooke!" Lucas repeated himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Nathan grabbed Jamie out of the booth and rushed him toward the door, not wanting his son to be around the drama that was about to kick off. He stopped when he reached Juliet and he got on one knee.

"Hello little princess. I'm your Uncle Nathan!" Nathan smiled and pulled his son closer, "And this is your cousin Jamie Scott."

Jamie waved to the little girl, "But you can just call me James for short."

Juliet smiled wide at the two boys. "I'm Juliet Davis!" The girl saying her name made it all real. Brooke and Lucas had a daughter together.

"Well it is nice to meet you Miss Juliet." Nathan said to the girl, giving her a high-five. "Jamie and I have to go now. Jamie say goodbye to your cousin.

Jamie looked at his father and turned back to Juliet, whispering. "In case it gets a little weird I had some toys in the back! I'll leave them for you to play with." Nathan and Jamie left.

Brooke watched the door to the café close again. "Haley I thought you said Lucas wasn't going to be here?" She raised an eyebrow to Haley.

"Wait you knew about this?!" Lucas turned to face Haley. "You knew I had a daughter and you didn't tell me?"

Haley sighed heavily, "I'm sorry Brooke I was rushing him out but he was just moving so slow!" She turned to Lucas. "I'm sorry Luke I was waiting for Brooke to tell you on her own time about Juliet."

Haley kneeled down to greet Juliet. "Hey sweetheart. I'm your Aunt Haley."

Juliet smiled at Haley's bright smile. "You have pretty teeth." Juliet commented. "I'm Juliet."

Haley laughed at the little girl. "Well it is nice to meet you Juliet. How about you come with me and I show you were my son keeps all of his toys?" She took the little girl's hand.

"Does Jamie have any barbies?" Juliet asked her Aunt Haley as she walked into the back.

Brooke smiled in the direction her daughter had just gone into. No matter what was going wrong in Brooke's life Juliet could always make her smile.

"Brooke?" Lucas tried to snap Brooke back into the present day. "Brooke?" He called her name again.

Brooke shook her head, "What is it Lucas?" She put her hands on her hips.

Lucas let out a cynical laugh, "Are you kidding? I haven't seen you in five years and you just come back to town with a daughter? A daughter who just so happens to look like me!"

Brooke let a sigh slip from her pink lips. "Jamie looks like you and he isn't yours!"

Lucas raised both eyebrows at Brooke as to say 'Really?!'

She put her hands up in her air. "I'm sorry Lucas. I got scared okay?!" She finally admitted to him as she took a seat at the nearest table. "I had just found out about you and Peyton and I was scared. You made it clear you didn't want anything to do with me so I ran." She covered her face with her hands and sighed. "My parents were moving to California to rebuild our wealth and I saw that as my way out of it all."

Lucas watched Brooke and sat down beside her. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

She looked into his deep brown eyes and began to tear up. So much love and heartache began to flood her heart again. She felt like she was back at his house watching him make-out with her best friend on a webcam.

"To be honest? No! I wasn't going to tell you but plans changed and I found myself back here." She shook her head and sniffled a bit. "But now that I'm back home and I plan to stay here I was going to tell you everything. That I promise." She put her hand on her heart.

Lucas took her hand and held it in his. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of that alone. Being a single parent is tough. Unless you found someone…" He trailed off hoping Brooke would stop him.

Brooke laughed, "You Scott boys are so not subtle!" She wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her cardigan. "I hadn't dated anyone since believe it or not college. You just don't have time to date when you're raising a young kid." She wondered if he'd found love after her. "Did you find someone?"

Lucas opened his mouth to answer but before he could his girlfriend, Lindsay walked through the door.

"Lucas there you are!" Lindsay stopped when she saw Lucas holding hands with another woman.

Lucas dropped Brooke's hands and stood up to greet his girlfriend with a kiss. "Hey love. I wasn't expecting you."

Brooke stood up from her position in the dining chair and turned to face Lucas. "Hey I'm…"

"You're Brooke Davis!" Lindsay finished her sentenced. "I love your designs."

Brooke nodded, "You're wearing my dress right now!"

Lindsay looked down at the dark purple peplum dress she had on. "A Clothes over Bros original piece!"

Brooke laughed and extended her hand, "It's nice to meet you…"

"Oh sorry! I'm Lindsay, Lucas' girlfriend." Lindsay shook Brooke's cold hand. "And publicist."

"Well it's nice to meet you Lindsay." Brooke smiled at the blond. She took in the girl's appearance. She was tall and curvy with a great fashion taste. She approved.

"Momma. Momma." Juliet came running from the back of the café. "Look what Aunt Haley gave me?!" Juliet held up a barbie doll.

Haley came running from the back after Juliet. "I tried to catch her." She whispered to Brooke and then noticed Lindsay. "Oh hey Lindsay!" The two women hugged.

"Who is this?" Lindsay kneeled down to Juliet's level, getting a good look at the little girl she noticed how much she looked like Brooke but she also looked so much like Lucas that it was confusing who she resembled more.

"I'm Juliet Davis!" Juliet said proudly before walking off to play with her new barbie doll.

"Juliet Davis!" Lindsay repeated to herself out loud. "It's funny because she looks a lot like you Lucas." She was hoping for some sort of explanation.

"I'm just going to go play with my niece now!" Haley turned and left the group to join Juliet in the back.

"See I can explain." Lucas began, scratching the back of his sandy blond hair. "Juliet is sort of my daughter."

Lindsay looked at Brooke then back at Lucas. "What do you mean sort of Luke? That's like being sort of pregnant!" She tried not to raise her voice.

"In all fairness Lucas hasn't even officially met Juliet yet!" Brooke came to Lucas' defense. "I just brought her in town last night."

Lucas mouthed thank you to Brooke and she winked. Lindsay caught this exchange between the two of them and her stomach dropped but she wasn't willing to lose Lucas over an unknown child.

"Okay well I'd like to officially meet Juliet if you don't mind Brooke?" Lindsay raised an eyebrow.

Brooke sighed lightly and gave her shoulders a gentle shrug. "That is fine with me! Juliet! Honey, come here. Momma wants you to meet someone."

Juliet came running from the back, "More people?"

Brooke laughed and fixed a strand of her daughter's light brown hair. "This is cousin Lindsay!" She pointed to Lindsay and Lindsay waved at the little girl. "And this is your father, Lucas."

Juliet looked at her mom, "Dad?"

Brooke nodded once at the little girl, "This is your daddy!"

Lucas got on both knees in front of Juliet. "Hey princess." Lucas held out his hand. "Can I play barbies with you too?" He asked, trying to get the little girl warmed up to him.

Juliet eyed Lucas for a few seconds before putting the barbie into his hand, "Sure! Aunt Haley makes the best barbie voice." Juliet held hands with Lucas as she led him into the back.

Brooke smiled at the sight of her little girl and Lucas bonding. Although she wasn't ready for Lucas to meet Juliet she was glad he finally knew he had a daughter. Brooke now had no regrets about running away from Lucas after finding out she was pregnant because then she wouldn't have this moment to cherish forever; a moment between her own little family.


	4. Chapter 4

Brooke, Haley, and Lindsay gathered in the kitchen of Karen's Café. The women brewed and drank coffee while Lucas and Juliet bonded in the backroom.

"It's going great back there." Haley said after checking in on Lucas and Juliet. "He has her laughing so much I think her cheeks will be sore by at the afternoon. Speaking of time." Haley turned the sign on the front door of the cafe to closed.

Brooke watched her flip the sign over, "Why aren't you opening today?"

"Lucas making a bond with his daughter is way more important than one day's worth of business." Haley smiled and walked over to Brooke with open arms. "I've missed you."

Brooke laughed and hugged Haley. "I've missed you too Tutor Girl! Only now it's Tutor Mom." All three women laughed.

"Brooke and her nick names." Haley playfully rolled her eyes.

Lindsay nodded, "That was in Lucas' book."

"Book?" Brooke questioned.

Haley and Lindsay looked at each other than Brooke.

"Lucas wrote a book in high school called the Unkindness of Ravens." Lindsay informed Brooke of the bestseller book. "You're half of the book Brooke." Lindsay walked over to her purse and pulled a copy of the book out, handing it to Brooke. "I think you'll like how Lucas portrayed you in the book."

Brooke took the book from Lindsay, "Thank you. I can't wait to read this!" She slid the book into her designer black studded hand bag. "So other than book authors what else has happened while I was gone?" She questioned Haley and Lindsay.

Haley smiled at Brooke, "Well Peyton just married Jake Jagielski last week." She held her breath as she waited for Brooke's reaction.

Brooke smiled and nodded once, "I was rooting for those two." She admitted.

Haley let out a sigh of relief at Brooke's positive reaction. "Were you really rooting for them Brooke?"

"Of course! I wasn't into Jake so she could have him." All three women laughed again. "I'm just glad she is happy." Brooke added. She no longer saw Peyton as a lifelong friend, she just couldn't after what Peyton did to her but she did want her to find peace and happiness. "What about you and Lucas?" Brooke asked Lindsay.

Lindsay raised both of her brown eyebrows, "We've only been dating for a year. I don't think he is ready to be with me forever." Brooke almost sighed a sigh of relief but held back. She loved Lucas and wanted nothing more than for him to be happy even if it wasn't with her but she wanted him again. She wanted that family with him and Juliet.

Brooke sat her empty coffee mug down on the counter. She twirled on the stool she was in, "You really did this place good Haley." She put her fist out toward Haley and Haley bumped it with her fist.

"Thank you!" Haley smiled. "You did good with that clothing line of yours. What is it called again?"

"Clothes over Bros!" Lindsay answered Haley. "I love every piece. If I could afford it I'd own all of it."

Brooke laughed, "Well I'm flattered. I'm thinking about opening one here in Tree Hill."

Haley and Lindsay gasped, "That would be awesome." Said Lindsay.

Lucas walked out from the back room with Juliet in his arms. "Princess here says she is hungry!" Lucas sat her down on the floor.

"Aw! Honey let's go home and grab you something to eat." Brooke stood up from her position on the stool and grabbed her purse.

"You sure you don't want me to whip something up here?" Haley offered.

Brooke shook her head, "I don't want to put you out any longer and besides it's almost time for her nap!"

Juliet pouted at the sound of the word nap. "I hate naps!" She said to her Aunt Haley.

Brooke laughed and shook her head at the little girl. "Well let's go eat silly!"

"Can daddy come?" Juliet ran over to Lucas and grabbed his hand.

Lucas opened his mouth to say something but he didn't know what to say. He didn't want to invite himself to their home.

"Momma please!" Juliet pleaded.

Brooke sighed lightly, "Ask your father if he'd like to join us for lunch."

Juliet turned to Lucas, "Daddy! Can you come eat lunch?"

Lucas smiled, "Of course I can!" Juliet squealed out of happiness and Lucas turned to say goodbye to his girlfriend Lindsay. "I'll check in with you after lunch."

Lindsay kissed Lucas, "Okay have fun!"

Lindsay and Haley watched Brooke, Lucas, and Juliet walk out of the café all holding hands. "Why am I nervous about this?" Lindsay asked Haley.

xoxo

Brooke, Lucas, and Juliet arrived back to Brooke's new beach house. The three walked inside. Juliet pulled Lucas into her room so she could show off her toys to him and Brooke began preparing lunch. Brooke made her daughter chicken tenders with a side of grapes.

"Juliet! Come eat your lunch sweetie." Brooke set the table for her daughter. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Lucas carrying Juliet to the table on his back. "You two having fun?"

"Yes!" Juliet smiled and hopped off of her father's back. "Chicken tenders!" The five year old squealed.

"That sure smells good! You should eat as much as you can since it looks and smells so yummy!" Lucas joked with Juliet before joining Brooke in the kitchen.

"You hungry? I could whip you up something really quickly!" Brooke offered.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day Brooke Davis cooked!" Lucas joked.

Brooke laughed and nudged him, "Well when you have a baby you can't exactly feed them take-out!" The two locked eyes but Brooke turned away and opened her fridge. "We have hotdogs."

Lucas shrugged his shoulders, "Hot dogs sound fine." He watched Brooke move around the kitchen preparing lunch. She moved with such grace that she every move she made a more beautiful than the last.

Four years later and she was still taking his breath away. He regretted how badly he'd hurt Brooke and spent the entire four years wishing he could take it back but he couldn't. But her arrival back in Tree Hill gave him a chance to make up for it.

"You okay?" Brooke asked after several minutes of silence. "This all too awkward for you?"

Brooke's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Yeah I'm okay. I'm just observing."

Brooke frowned at him, "Observing what?"

"Observing how much you've changed." Lucas scratched the back of his head. "I didn't think it was possible but you grew more beautiful."

His words surprised her. She didn't expect he'd still think of her that way after the way they left things.

"I'm all done momma. Can I have my juice now?" Juliet asked from her place at the table. Brooke gently brushed past Lucas to get to the fridge for Juliet's juice.

"Sure honey!" She poured her daughter a cup of juice and handed it to her. "C'mon you can watch some cartoons before your nap but only if you promise not to get hyper."

"I promise momma." Juliet placed her tiny hand on her heart, something she'd learned from her mother.

"Okay c'mon." Brooke turned on Juliet's favorite cartoon and sat the little girl down to watch it.

"Can you watch it with me?" Juliet asked her mom and dad. "Please?"

Lucas and Brooke looked at each other and sat down on the couch, one on either side of Juliet. Half way through the show Juliet was complaining of being sleepy.

"I can put her to sleep." Lucas offered.

Brooke nodded once, "Make sure she goes to the restroom and washes her hand before she goes to sleep. Don't give her any excuses to stay awake." She turned to Juliet."You be good for your daddy and go to sleep."

"Yes momma." Juliet said before disappearing into her bedroom with her father Lucas.

Brooke finished making the hotdogs for her and Lucas to have for lunch.

"She fell asleep pretty quickly." Lucas said after cracking the door to Juliet's room. "She's a great kid Brooke. You did great raising her."

Brooke smiled and made Lucas' plate for him. "Thank you! Its been so hard doing it all by myself."

"Well you don't have to do alone anymore." Lucas leaned against the wall. "I'm here for you and Juliet."

Brooke handed Lucas his plate accidentally grabbing hands they locked eyes. Old feelings rushing back for the both of them. Before Lucas broke Brooke's heart the two had a genuine connection. Lucas just chose lust over love.

Brooke broke the intense eye contact and went back to the stove to make her own plate. "So how have you been Lucas?" She asked as she joined him at the dining table.

"I've been good." He lied. Since Brooke's disappearing act out of Tree Hill four years ago Lucas hadn't gotten over her. Every time he saw a billboard of Brooke smiling wide his heart would break all over again. Without him she was so much happier and had such a better life or so it appeared from the outside looking in.

"That's good!" Brooke smiled.

The two ate in silence for a few minutes. They exchanged looks after finishing their meal. They felt like teens in high school all over again.

"Who would think hot dogs could be so delicious." Brooke said sarcastically.

"Need help cleaning up?" Lucas rose from his chair at the dining table.

"Sure! Mind dumping those plates out for him." Brooke smiled as Lucas began to help her clean up. "I still hate washing dishes." She frowned.

Lucas laughed. "How about this, I wash and you dry?"

"I knew you were a genius!" Brooke laughed and grabbed a dish towel. "I need to go to the grocery store a.s.a.p. to buy dishwasher soap because there is no way I am doing this again after today!"

The two laughed and started on the dishes. While washing dishes they caught up and Brooke shared memories of Juliet with Lucas.

"Okay last dish!" Lucas playfully held the dish into the air, watering sliding off of the dish.

"Lucas you are gonna get my hair wet!" Brooke cried out and jumped out of the way.

"It's just water Brooke!" Lucas picked up the hose to the sink and pointed it at Brooke.

She held up her index finger and waved it at him. "Don't you dare Lucas Scott!"

"Or what?" Lucas squirted Brooke with the hose.

"I am going to kill you!" Brooke snapped the dish towel at Lucas but missed.

"I still have the water?!" Lucas sprayed Brooke again.

"Lucas Scott! You got my hair that time!" Brooke attempted to run off but Lucas scooped her up.

"It's not that easy to get away from me!" Lucas held Brooke loosely against his chest.

The two stared into each other's eyes for a few moments before kissing. Brooke took Lucas' face into her petite hands as the two kissed. Sparks flew between the two of them as they kissed. It was like they had never been apart.

Brooke finally pulled away from the kiss. "I can't do this!" She whispered against Lucas' lips. "I can't do this to Lindsay."

Lucas put Brooke down and turned off the water. He remained silent.

"I can't participate in something like this." Brooke continued. "You did this exact same thing to me Lucas. You did this to me with Peyton!" She began to tear up.

"Brooke don't cry!" Lucas held her. "I'm sorry!"

Brooke cried into his chest. "But I love you Lucas. I do!"

Lucas kissed the top of her head, "I love you too Brooke."

"But you're with Lindsay. I'm too late." Brooke cried.

Lucas pulled back to look Brooke in the eyes and wipe away her tears. "The timing does suck but hopefully one day we can be together again."

Brooke shook her head, "I think you should go Luke."

Lucas was shocked by her reaction but he obliged. "When will I see Juliet again?"

"I'll bring her by Karen's café tomorrow after her first day of preschool tomorrow." Brooke opened her front door to let him out and the two again locked eyes. They were naturally drawn to one another. They kissed again but only briefly before Brooke broke away again. She placed her hands on Lucas' chest and he left. She closed the door behind him and slid down the wall. "Why do I still love him?" She thought to herself as she cried.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucas arrived home and hesitated opening the door to his house. He didn't know how he would look at Lindsay the same after his kiss with Brooke. His kiss with Brooke made him realize he was with the wrong person. The kiss made him question why he hadn't gone searching for Brooke so many years ago. Brooke was the one for him and he now knew it but Brooke refused to be with him while he was with Lindsay. He knew Brooke wouldn't handle him breaking up with Lindsay to be with her well so it was a losing situation for him period.

Before Lucas could turn the knob the door opened.

"Hey! Why are you just standing outside of the door? You nearly scared me half to death!" Lindsay wrapped her arms around Lucas' neck.

"Sorry. I was just looking for my keys." Lucas jingled the house keys that were in his hands. "I found them a second too late I guess."

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders and pulled Lucas inside. "Well I've missed today! Lunch took longer than expected, huh?"

Lucas just nodded and walked into his bedroom. He threw his keys on his side table and plopped down onto his bed, taking off his shoes.

"You okay Luke?" Lindsay asked as she sat behind him, kissing his neck.

"I'm fine!" Lucas didn't push Lindsay away. He still cared for her but with one kiss he'd fallen out of love with her; he just didn't know how to tell her or if he should tell her at all. Lucas wasn't sure Brooke even wanted to be with him anymore and he didn't want to be alone.

Lindsay's kisses to Lucas' neck soon turned into loving making. The couple's bodies moved in unison as they made love. Lindsay letting out moans every time Lucas pushed deeper into her. With every push of his hips Lucas was trying to let go of Brooke. He wanted Brooke out of his head but it just wasn't happening.

Lindsay rolled off of Lucas after reaching her climax.

She took a deep breath and let out a heavy sigh. "That was…wow!" She exclaimed.

Lucas just looked over at her and rolled over.

He was ashamed of what he had just done. He made love to his girlfriend while thinking of the mother of his child. Lucas couldn't help who he loved but he loved wasn't sure if they wanted to be with him.

Lindsay's snoring snapped Lucas out of his own thoughts. He quietly got out of bed and went to his laptop. For the first time in almost a two years he was inspired. He sat at his computer and typed for hours.

xoxo

Brooke sat at the door crying her heart out until she just couldn't cry anymore. She went into her bathroom and studied her face. Her mascara and eyeliner were running down her cheeks and smudging underneath her eyes. She wiped her face clean with a hot towel. What was wrong with her? Why couldn't she just co-parent with Lucas and want nothing more from him? Why did she want to be with him so bad? Why was he a part of her fairy tale? She stared at her reflection in the mirror until her daughter came into her room.

"Momma?" Juliet called out in a soft sleepy voice.

Brooke left her bathroom and in it she left her self-pity. "Sweetie what are you doing up?" She kneeled down to look at her daughter.

"I'm not sleepy anymore. I'm up!" Juliet smiled a very tired smile.

Brooke laughed, "Okay well let's go fix you up some juice and let's go watch Winx Club!"

"Oh momma I love that show." Juliet said, taking her mom's hand.

Brooke and Juliet walked hand in hand from Brooke's bedroom. Brooke turned on her daughter's favorite cartoon and fixed her another cup of juice.

"Here you are sweetie." Brooke plopped down onto the couch next to her daughter. She braided her daughter light brown wavy hair while Juliet drank her grape juice and watched TV. "Do you want to make a trip to the grocery store with me?"

Juliet smiled, "I always love our field trips to the grocery store momma."

Brooke smiled down at her daughter. "Me too honey. Me too!"

It had been just the two of them for so long. Brooke had grown used to only having the company of a five year old but now Brooke wanted a live outside of raising her daughter. She wanted her happily ever after.

xoxo

Brooke and Juliet arrived at the grocery store. Juliet climbed into the large proportion of the basket with her mother's help. Brooke pushed the basket carrying her daughter around the grocery store.

"You have the list Julie?" Brooke looked down at her daughter holding a large floral notepad.

"I have it right here!" Juliet waved the notepad in the air but dropped it outside of the basket.

"Oh here I got it for you." A familiar looking woman bent down and picked up the child's notepad. When the woman stood back up straight Brooke suddenly recognized her.

"Peyton?" Brooked asked. "Peyton Sawyer is that you?"

Peyton looked at Brooke and smiled, "No it's Peyton Jagielski now!"

Brooke laughed and nodded, "I heard about that. Congrats P. Jagielski."

"Thank you!" Peyton handed the notepad back to Juliet. "Who is this pretty lady in the basket with you?"

"I'm Juliet Davis!" Juliet smiled up at Peyton as she took back her notepad.

Peyton looked from Juliet to Brooke and then back again. "No! You had a baby? When?"

Brooke laughed at Peyton's disbelief. "Lucas and I had Juliet about five years ago."

Peyton gasped out loud but soon after the gasp escaped her lips she covered her mouth. "Sorry."

"No it's okay. Lucas' girlfriend practically reacted the same way." Brooke said. "Lucas didn't know about Juliet until today."

Peyton's eyes widened. "I'm sorry but that's a lot of drama to take in all at once!"

Brooke rolled her brown eyes, "Tell me about it."

Peyton smiled at her old friend. "I'd love to catch up with you though! We've both obviously missed so much in each other lives."

Brooke hesitated.

She wasn't sure if she was ready to have Peyton back in her life. For Brooke it was easier to forgive Lucas because he gave her such a bright part of her life. He gave her Juliet. Peyton only gave Brooke one thing and that was heart ache but before the heart ache the two girls were friends so Brooke agreed.

"I would love to catch up! How about tonight over dinner?" Brooke suggested.

Peyton thought about it, a smile coming to her face. "Tonight it is. Call me okay! I can't wait to see you tonight." Peyton gently pinched Juliet's cheeks. "Bye pretty girl."

Once Peyton was gone Juliet looked up at her mom, "Momma who was that?"

Brooke looked down at her daughter. "That was your Aunt Peyton. She is one of momma's old friends." She said sadly as she turned to walk in the opposite direction Peyton had gone.


	6. Chapter 6

After grocery shopping Brooke called Haley to see if she'd like to baby sit Juliet for a few hours.

"Of course bring her by!" Haley exclaimed.

"Thank you so much for this." Brooke drove Juliet to the Scott's residence. "You be good for momma okay!"

Juliet peered out of the car window at the big house they were parked in front of. "Whose house is this?"

Brooke helped Juliet out of her car seat. "It's your Aunt Haley's house. You can play with your cousin Jamie and you Uncle Nathan is home too!"

Brooke held the little girl's hand as they walked up the stairway leading to the front door. Before Brooke could ring the doorbell or knock Haley came to the door.

"Hey Juliet!" Haley smiled and hugged her niece. "I like that flower in your hair!" She took the girl's hand and led her inside. "Jamie Scott come play with your cousin."

"Oh hey Juliet." Jamie said as he ran down the stairs. "I have a bunch of toys and games upstairs!"

"Momma can I go upstairs." Juliet turned to ask her mom.

Brooke smiled, "Sure honey!" The two women watched the kids dart up the stairs.

"Can I offer you some water or some happiness? You look so sad Brooke!" Haley joked with Brooke. "What's wrong?" She nudged her friend in the side.

Brooke shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. "It's this dinner with Peyton." She lied, "I don't know how it'll go. I'm nervous that I'll just rip her head off for what happened four years ago with Lucas." She rolled her brown eyes as they filled with tears up.

Haley wrapped her arms around Brooke, "Oh honey it's time to let go of all that pain."

"I just want what you and Nathan have!" Brooke held back her tears as hard as she could.

Haley sighed, "You'll have that someday Brooke. Trust me! It's your turn to have the baby and the man."

Brooke pulled away from Haley's hold, "You think so?"

Haley nodded once. "I do think so! You deserve a happy ending and you'll get it!"

Brooke smiled, "Thank you Hales."

"Oh no more Tutor Girl?!" The two women laughed together.

"I told you its Tutor Mom now!" Brooke playfully corrected Haley.

Nathan walked into the house from his workout outside. "Uh-oh I detect tears." He nodded towards Brooke, "What's wrong now?!"

Brooke laughed at Nathan, "I didn't get a chance to tell you how much I missed you this morning and that was just making me so sad!" The two embraced in a hug. They were close as kids but gradually pulled apart as he began dating Haley.

"There all better? You got your hug and I miss you out!" Nathan playfully teased Brooke but nudged her, "I missed you too."

Brooke laughed and shook her head. "I should really get going! I totally forgot about my dinner with Peyton."

Nathan raised both eyebrows, "Peyton?! You are talking to Peyton?"

Brooke playfully rolled her brown eyes, "Yes! It has been four years. We've all hopefully grown up!" She pushed him but as he went to push her back she ran, "Gotta go!" She darted out the door.

"I really hope this dinner goes well." Haley said as she watched Brooke leave.

"I just hope they don't fight and we miss it!" Nathan joked.

Haley hit him on his arm.

"Ouch! I was just kidding." Nathan laughed and held the spot on his arm where his wife hit him. "That hurt Hales." He joked.

Haley made a face and mocked her husband, "That hurt Hales?!"

Nathan ran towards Haley to pick her up but she ran. They were still in love like they were in high school. No one thought their marriage would work but they knew better. Now going on four years together, their love was a fairytale; a fairytale that Brooke wanted.

xoxo

Brooke arrived at the steak house where she was meeting Peyton. She checked the white diamond watch on her wrist for the time. She was actually early but as she walked in she saw that Peyton was already seated at the table.

"Sorry if I kept you waiting." Brooke said as she approached the table.

Peyton looked up from her menu and smiled, "I actually just got here myself." Peyton put her menu down on the table and stood up to hug Brooke.

Brooke hesitated to hug Peyton. She was still trying to figure out if she wanted Peyton in her life again. This dinner was for Brooke to determine if Peyton had changed any at all. She didn't want any toxicity in her life anymore.

"You look a lot different." Brooke pointed out about Peyton as both women took their seats.

Peyton touched her now auburn colored hair. "Good different?"

Brooke laughed and smiled. "I love your hair! And I'm glad you ditched the all black clothes as well!"

Peyton laughed and shook her head, "Yeah Jake said the same thing when we met up again."

Brooke raised an eyebrow to Peyton, "Now this Jake thing you have got to explain to me."

Before Peyton could answer their waitress introduced herself to them. "I'm Angie and I'll be serving you this evening. What will you two be drinking tonight?" Both women ordered red wine.

Brooke turned back to Peyton, "Okay now tell me about you and Jake!"

"There isn't much to tell." Peyton gave her thin shoulders a shrug. "After you left Tree Hill I just couldn't stop missing you so I made it my mission to move to California and make up with you after I graduated. I did that but by the time I got there you were gone." She sighed lightly. "I'd just broken up with Lucas and I just didn't want to go back to Tree Hill so I stayed in California and found a job at a record company. The company was signing this new band and I had to go fetch the band's coffees. When I got back Jake was there and he was the lead singer of the band." Peyton couldn't help but smile at this part of the story. "We started dating again that night. The record company was still unsure of whether to sign the band or not and when I stood up for the band my boss totally cut my head off. After seeing how badly I was being treated Jake encouraged me to quit and start my own record company. I thought there were way too many in California so I moved back to Tree Hill. Jake's band was the first I signed. A few weeks later we got married in a quickie wedding outdoors."

By the end of the story Brooke's hands were on her heart. Even Peyton got her fairytale.

"That sounds so romantic!" Brooke almost squealed. "I'm happy for you Peyton."

Peyton smiled, "Thank you Brooke. That really does mean the world to me! So let's talk about this whole Juliet thing."

Brooke sighed lightly. "I found out I was pregnant the night of our fight. My parents sat me down that night and told me that they were moving to California. They gave me the option to stay until summer but I decided to go to California without telling Lucas about the baby. My parents found out I was pregnant and they pushed me to give up the baby." She shrugged her shoulders. "So I left. I moved what little things I had to New York and I started a fashion line inspired by you and Lucas."

"Clothes over Bros." Peyton said.

Brooke nodded once. "After it became successful I realized I had everything in life that I've ever wanted except a family and the man of my dreams. So I came back to Tree Hill to build the family part. I wanted Lucas to eventually meet Juliet. Now I'm just working on the man part!" The two women laughed.

"You'll find him Brooke." After Peyton moved on from Lucas she finally saw that Brooke and Lucas were meant for each other. "Or you already have and you just don't know it." Peyton hinted to Brooke.

Brooke looked up from her glass of red wine but looked back down. "He is with someone else Peyton." She said softly into her glass of wine.

Peyton rolled her eyes at Brooke, "If you two are meant to be then nothing should stand in the way of that."

"I don't want to break up a relationship Peyton." Brooke almost spat out the words.

"Well then you can just wait for Lucas to become single or you can watch him wait for someone else to walk down the aisle toward him." Peyton took a small sip of her wine.

Brooke knew she was right. She was going to lose Lucas for good to someone else if she didn't fight for him. Brooke just didn't want to cause someone the same heart ache and pain she had to go through but she wanted Lucas. Her heart was conflicted but she knew one thing, Lucas was the one for her.


	7. Chapter 7

Lindsay woke up to find her boyfriend sitting behind his laptop. Lucas had been up all night writing.

"Lucas? Why are still up?" Lindsay mumbled as she sat up in the bed.

"I just had to write." Lucas briefly looked up from his laptop, "Did I wake you?"

Lindsay shook her head and brushed loose hair from her face. "How long have you been writing?"

Lucas glanced at the time, "Since five I guess. It's four now."

Lindsay's eyes widened. "You've been writing for eleven hours!" She said in disbelief.

Lucas gave his shoulders a simple shrug. "Yeah I guess." He kept his eyes on the screen and his fingers on the key board. "I'm almost finished for the night."

As Lucas' publicist Lindsay was proud but as Lucas' girlfriend Lindsay was worried. Lucas had been suffering from writer's block but now his ex-girlfriend comes back to town and he is suddenly writing again.

"Well just come to bed!" Lindsay patted his side of the bed. "It's lonely without you."

Lucas nodded once, "I'll be there is a second I promise."

Lindsay felt as if Lucas was slipping away from her. She wasn't ready to lose him.

xoxo

Brooke walked into the Scott's house. She saw her daughter passed out on the couch, peacefully asleep. She couldn't help but smile at the sight of her daughter.

"Hey Brooke!" Haley said quietly, waving Brooke over into the kitchen. "How was dinner?"

Brooke hopped up to sit down on the kitchen counter. "It was good."

Haley and Nathan both raised their eyebrows, shocked. "No bitch fights or slaps of any kind?" Nathan playfully asked.

Brooke laughed, "No silly! We've really moved past our issues. We aren't exactly best friends again but we're working on it." She gave her shoulders a shrug.

"Aw I wanna be your best friend!" Haley playfully whined.

Brooke shook her head and opened her arms wide for Haley. "You are my best friend!" The two women hugged. "Thank you guys for keep Juliet for me." Brooke let a yawn slip from her lips. "I better get going."

"I'll carry Juliet to the car for you." Nathan picked up the sleeping child and followed Brooke out to her car.

"Thanks Nate." Brooke hugged him once he had Juliet in her car seat.

"Goodnight Brooke." Nathan walked back inside.

She waited until he was inside before she got into her car and drove away.

xoxo

The next morning Brooke accidentally slept in. Her daughter sneaked into her mother's bedroom and began jumping on her mother's bed.

"Good morning momma!" Juliet said in between laughs. She plopped down onto the bed and stared at her sleeping mother.

Brooke felt the bouncing of the bed in her sleep. She slowly began to wake up. Through half opened eyes Brooke saw Juliet staring her in the face.

"Juliet?" Brooke popped up, "What time is it?!" She peeked over at her alarm clock. The red numbers read 6:50 am. "Oh no okay let's go eat and get ready for school."

Brooke rushed out of bed and headed into the kitchen. Juliet raced behind her.

"Can I have oatmeal again momma!" Juliet asked as she found her way to her seat at the dining table.

"Of course sweetie." Brooke had already made her daughter a bowl of cereal. She pushed aside the cereal and began making oatmeal when there was a knock on the door.

"I got it!" Juliet yelled.

"No I got it!" Brooke scooted past her daughter and answered the door. Lucas was standing on the other side. "Lucas!" She almost yelled. She was tempted to close the door on him. She didn't want him seeing her without her makeup and hair done.

"Can I come in?" Lucas held up two coffees. "I brought coffee!"

Brooke smiled and moved aside, "Of course you can come in, sorry."

Lucas walked into the Davis' residence and smiled at the sight of his daughter. "Hey princess!"

Juliet jumped up from her chair at the dining table. "Daddy!"

The sight of Lucas and Juliet made Brooke happy but it also made her sad. Lucas wasn't hers. He was with someone else and someone else just didn't fit into this picture.

"Oh your oatmeal!" Brooke snapped out of her thoughts. "We're running late!"

She placed the oatmeal in front of her daughter and went into the kitchen to try to fix herself some breakfast. Lucas joined her in the kitchen.

"Everything okay?" Lucas asked Brooke.

Brooke looked at him with tender eyes. "I wish but no! I over slept so now we have to rush her out the door on her first day at her new preschool. I am exhausted from going out to dinner!" She sighed heavily. "My head is just spinning."

Lucas laughed and handed Brooke one of the coffees. "Well I'm here to help. I'll do whatever you need me to do."

Brooke took a few sips of coffee, "Thank you so much!"

Lucas pulled Brooke into a hug. "You're welcome pretty girl."

"All done!" Juliet called out from the dining table.

Brooke and Lucas laughed. Brooke turned to Lucas, "Can you rinse out that bowl of oatmeal while I go get her dressed?"

Lucas nodded, "I'm here to help!" He grabbed the oatmeal bowl and began to clean it.

Brooke and Juliet disappeared into Juliet's room. The two appeared again and both were dressed. Lucas' breath was taken away at the sight of the two girls.

"You two look beautiful." Lucas playfully clapped.

Juliet bowed in front of her father, "Thank you!"

Brooke laughed, "You have your backpack silly?"

Juliet ran back into her bedroom and grabbed her backpack. "I got it!"

Brooke smiled and grabbed Juliet's hand, "You ready Lucas?"

Lucas raised both eyebrows. "Yup I'm ready!"

"Good because you're driving." Brooke tossed her keys to him. This exchange made Juliet laugh. "You are so silly!" Brooke poked her daughter's side.

The three piled into Brooke's black Audi. They were truly a family. This made both Brooke and Lucas happy. "Why couldn't we just be together and be a family?" Both Brooke and Lucas thought.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'm sorry I made you drive Juliet to school. I just didn't want to drive with my nerves being so bad today." Brooke said to Lucas as she climbed out of the passenger side of her car.

After dropping Juliet off at preschool Brooke began to cry. She was surprised at how hard it was for her to she her daughter growing up. Lucas suggested going to get breakfast at Karen's Cafe so Brooke could cheer up over a cup of coffee and a scone. Brooke refused, not wanting to run into Lindsay but Lucas assured her that Lindsay was in New York on business.

"No it's okay. I'm glad you are letting me be here for you and Juliet." Lucas pressed the lock button on the key pad before sliding the keys into his coat pocket.

Brooke smiled over at Lucas. "Thank you for wanting to be there for us. I really needed you today! I couldn't imagine going through that again and doing it all by myself. Oh, and thank you for letting me cry like a little baby on your nice coat." She laughed and playfully brushed off his tweed coat.

Lucas laughed with Brooke, opening the door to the café now owned by his best friend. "Hey Hales."

Haley was pouring a cup of coffee to a customer when Brooke and Lucas walked into the café. "Oh hey guys!" She looked at Brooke. Her face was lighting up with happiness. "They finally figured it out." Haley thought to herself. Haley knew Lucas and Brooke where meant to be together. They just fit together, like puzzle pieces.

"You okay Tutor Mom?" Brooke noticed Haley was staring at her. "Is there something on my face?" She pulled a compact mirror from her purse to check.

Haley shook her head, "You are just glowing!" She smiled and turned to walk into the kitchen.

Although she was happy that Lucas and Brooke were finally figuring out their feelings for one another, she felt bad for her friend Lindsay. Lindsay really loved Lucas and would be heart broken.

Lucas smiled and looked at Brooke. "She is right. You are glowing!"

Brooke playfully threw her hands into the air. "I promise I'm not pregnant." She joked.

Lucas laughed along with Brooke, "I'd hope you wouldn't hide it from him this time."

She turned to Lucas and put her hand on his arm, "I really am sorry about that! I was scared and angry."

Lucas slowly nodded his head. Brooke's touch warming up his entire arm. "I know you are. I'm sorry for being a jerk four years ago and making you go through raising a child all by yourself." He smiled from ear to ear. "I'm a changed man!" He laughed to lighten the mood up again.

Brooke and Lucas laughed over brunch and coffee at the café. During her break, Haley joined the pair. Every once and while Lucas' phone would beep and it would be a text from Lindsay. After a while Brooke noticed Lucas' phone was constantly going on so Lucas just turned it off.

xoxo

Brooke scooted out of the booth she and Lucas had been sitting in. She rushed off to the bathroom. Once she was out of sight Haley waved over Lucas. Lucas obliged and walked over to his best friend.

"What is it Haley?" Lucas asked her.

Haley pointed a fork at him, "Lucas Scott what do you think you are doing with Brooke?"

Lucas opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find any words to defend himself.

"You are dragging Brooke along and if you aren't dragging her along then you are dragging Lindsay along." Haley stabbed the fork near Lucas' hand. "You need to just pick one Lucas. They deserve to know who you really want to be with."

Lucas nodded slowly. "I know Haley but I don't want to hurt anyone."

Haley sighed lightly, "No matter what someone is going to get hurt from this. One person has to lose in order to move on."

Lucas scratched the back of his head. "With Brooke it's so natural. We have so much chemistry and I have so much love for her." He paused. "She is the mother of my child. And she still takes my breath away whenever I look at her." He shook his head. "She just amazes me every day. She's grown so much and I admire her so much for that!"

"What about Lindsay?" Haley wanted Lucas to pick Brooke over Lindsay but she didn't want to seem bias. Lindsay and Haley developed a friendship during the course of Lucas and Lindsay's relationship and the two girls were now pretty close.

"With Lindsay it is just so easy. I don't have to try with her." Lucas hunched his shoulders over. "She has a heart of gold and she has been there for me through so much." He closed his eyes. "Every time I think I'm finished with Lindsay something makes me turn back around and stay with her."

Brooke exited the bathroom; at the same time the front door to the café opened and Lindsay walked in. Brooke didn't notice Lindsay and Lindsay didn't notice Brooke. "Luke?" Both girls called out. Brooke turned at the sound of someone else calling for Lucas only to find Lindsay standing behind her. Lindsay was shocked to see Brooke at the café again and it seemed she was there with Lucas. Lucas turned away from Haley and found both women standing in the middle of the café staring at one another.

"Now is your time to pick Luke." Haley put her hand on Lucas' shoulder. "Just pick one." She whispered into his ear.


	9. Chapter 9

"What are you doing here Brooke? Lindsay tried to force a smile but she couldn't.

Brooke opened her mouth to speak but Lucas walked in front of Brooke, shielding her from Lindsay.

"She was with me." Lucas admitted to his girlfriend.

"She was with you?" Lindsay questioned. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what the two of them were doing together.

"I drove Juliet to school and we came back here for some breakfast." Lucas said simply.

Behind Lucas' back Brooke was freaking out. Was this her time to step up and fight for Lucas? Or was this her time to step down and make Lucas decide who he wanted to be with on his own?

Lindsay's heart broke a little when she discovered the truth. Although it was nothing bad she was beginning to see that she didn't fit into Lucas' life like she used to. "You two were just bonding." She said quietly with a soft nod.

Lucas sighed heavily, "She is the mother of my child Lindsay!"

Both Lindsay and Brooke turned their attention fully onto Lucas.

"But there is so much more to this and you know it Lucas." Lindsay motioned her hand toward Lucas standing in front of Brooke. "You ran to protect her first. You didn't run over her to protect me from the wrath of Brooke Davis."

Lindsay's comment made Lucas examine his body position. He was standing in front of Brooke and Brooke was holding onto his arm. He hadn't even realized that he was protecting Brooke. It made his decision of who he wanted to be with even easier.

"I love her Lindsay." Lucas quickly admitted before he could change his mind or coward out of it.

Lindsay nodded slowly and slid a silver band from her ring finger. "I guess this promise ring really meant nothing after all." Tears began to fill her eyes.

Lucas cared for Lindsay and he didn't want to see her cry but his decision was final. Brooke was the one he wanted to be with. Brooke was the one for him.

"I'm so sorry Lindsay." Brooke finally spoke up from behind Lucas, scooting around him but staying by his side. "I didn't ask for this." She reached out for Lindsay's arm.

Lindsay jerked away from Brooke's touch. "Of course you didn't ask for this." She wiped her eyes with her hands. "I've known it all along how Lucas really felt about you. I was just waiting for him to be a man and actually pick one of us." She rolled her eyes and turned to leave the café.

"Lindsay. Please wait!" Brooke followed behind her. "Please don't hate me!"

Lindsay didn't face Brooke. "You can't help who you love Brooke. Just take care of him please. He deserves that much." She began to cry again so she rushed out of the café and into her car.

Lucas walked up to Brooke and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry you had to see that."

Brooke stood frozen staring at the door to the café. "Just tell me that I didn't break up your relationship!" She spun around to look Lucas in his eyes. "Tell me this was your decision and that I didn't push you to break up with your girlfriend."

Lucas wrapped his arms around her, "I just wasn't in love with her anymore. How could I be with someone I no longer loved while someone I do love is waiting for me to love them back?"

Brooke looked up at Lucas, "You aren't lying are you?" She smiled brightly at him. "I love you Lucas Scott."

"I love you too Brooke Davis." Lucas couldn't contain himself and he began to smile from ear to ear. "Damn that feels good to say!"

The couple laughed together.

Haley came from behind the kitchen counter. "Thank goodness you two finally figured it out."

Both Brooke and Lucas looked at one another.

Haley playfully rolled her eyes, "Anyone with a pulse could see how much you two love each other. Nathan and I were betting on how soon after Brooke's arrival you two would get back together!"

"Really?" Brooke asked with a soft laugh.

"No!" Haley laughed with Brooke, "But I wished I had because I would have totally won!"

They all laughed together. Haley playfully snapped her kitchen rag at the couple.

"I'm happy for you two!" Haley smiled and formed a group hug with the two of them.

"Thank you Hales." Lucas and Brooke said in unison.

Haley shook her head at this, "So damn cute!" She laughed and walked back into the kitchen to finish her shift for the morning.

Lucas and Brooke turned to each other. Both had full intention of saying something but couldn't. They got lost in each other's eyes.

"Just kiss her already!" An elderly man sitting near the couple said with a genuine smile.

Brooke and Lucas laughed.

"Well you heard him!" Brooke exclaimed. "Kiss me already."

Lucas gently took Brooke's face in his hands and the two kissed. Sparks flew between the couple as they kissed. Both were genuinely happy now. Lucas felt the void in his heart closing up. Brooke felt as if she finally found her happily ever after.

xoxo

After making out in the middle of Karen's Café to an audience full of applauses Lucas and Brooke left to go pick up their daughter Juliet. Juliet was waiting patiently outside of her preschool with a group of new friends surrounding her.

"Like mother like daughter." Lucas pointed out.

Brooke smiled, "She amazes me every day."

"Again like mother like daughter." Lucas leaned over and kissed Brooke.

Juliet climbed into her mother's car and saw her parents kissing.

"Hey daddy! Hey momma!" Juliet greeted her parents each with a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey baby girl." Brooke turned to watch Juliet buckle herself up in her car seat. "Momma and daddy have some good news for you."

Juliet looked back and forth between her parents. "Are you getting married?"

Lucas and Brooke looked at one another.

"Not just yet…" Brooke trailed off.

Lucas took over, "But we are together! Maybe one day your momma and I will get married." Lucas suddenly had an idea.

Brooke nodded at Lucas' statement.

Juliet squealed in the back seat, "I hope you get married!"

"I hope so too." Brooke thought to herself. She wanted nothing more than to be able to call Lucas Scott her husband and for them to all officially be a family.

Lucas began forming ideas in his head; ideas he knew both Brooke and Juliet would both love.


	10. Chapter 10

Brooke, Juliet, and Lucas all climbed out of Brooke's sleek black Audi. Lucas handed Brooke the keys to her car and the couple watch Juliet sprint up the stairs to the front door.

"Juliet I'll see you later princess!" Lucas called out to his daughter.

Brooke turned to Lucas and frowned, "You don't want to come inside with us?"

Lucas scratched the back of his head, "I have a few errands to run. I'll be back before dinner I promise."

Brooke's frown deepened. He took her face into his hands and gently kissed her.

"I won't be gone long." Lucas jumped into the driver side of his car and drove off.

"Where is daddy going?" Juliet asked from at the top of the stairs.

"I don't know sweetie but he will be back soon." Brooke smiled. "At least I hope so." She thought to herself.

Brooke unlocked the front door and walked inside. She couldn't shake the feeling that Lucas was up to something. He only scratched the back of his head when he was trying to think of an excuse. Brooke knew him too well for him to lie to her and get away with it.

xoxo

Lucas drove to his house to find Lindsay's car still sitting out front. He pulled into his driveway but hesitated getting out. He didn't want to face Lindsay again, not right now. Not when he was planning something big for Brooke. He walked into his bedroom and found Lindsay sitting on the bed with a copy of his new book in her hands.

"This is beautiful." Lindsay was crying over the manuscript.

Lucas stayed in the doorway. He didn't know what to say or do so he remained silent.

"The boy saw the comet." Lindsay paused but kept her eyes on the words in front of her. "The boy saw the comet and he felt as though his life had meaning. And when it went away he waited his entire life for it to come back to him." Lindsay began to cry again. "It was more than just a comet because of what it brought to his life."

"Lindsay…" Lucas tried to stop her from reading the rest but she continued.

"Direction and beauty. There were many who couldn't understand and sometimes he walked among them. But even in his darkest hours he knew in his heart that someday it would return to him and his world would be whole again. And his belief in God and love and art would be reawakened in his heart." Lindsay closed the manuscript and handed to Lucas. "It's a beautiful story Luke. It's just not our story."

Lucas looked down at the manuscript and then back up at Lindsay.

"I came home early to tell your book was being published!" Lindsay wiped her tears away with the back of her hand.

Lucas opened his mouth to say something but Lindsay stopped him.

"You deserve happiness and from the story it looks like you already found it, with Brooke and Juliet." Lindsay's smile was full of sadness and heart ache. "They are your family. Don't let them get away again."

She picked up her luggage and before she left she turned to Lucas.

"I found the engagement ring in the drawer. It's beautiful." Lindsay turned and left.

Lindsay's departure left Lucas speechless. He fell onto his bed and released a heavy sigh. The last thing he wanted was to hurt Lindsay but having her blessing to move on and be happy only reassured him that what he was about to do was right. He rolled off of his bed and walked over to his sock drawer. Inside was a four carat engagement ring. It was his Uncle Keith's ring. Keith bought the ring to propose to his mom. Sadly Keith never got the chance.

Lucas pulled open the box and stared at the ring sitting peacefully inside. Brooke Davis is the one for him and now he wanted to make Brooke Davis his wife. Lucas closed the box and pushed it into his coat pocket there are just two people he needed to talk to first.

xoxo

Lucas pulled into the drive way of Nathan and Haley Scott's home. He quickly climbed out of his car and ran up the stairs leading to their front door. He walked right inside to find Haley and Jamie dancing while Nathan recorded them. This was his model family, a family he strived to have for himself one day and he was now about to have this with Brooke.

"Uncle Lucas, check out my new dance!" Jamie called out to his uncle. "I'm teaching mama."

Nathan turned to find his half-brother standing behind him.

"Hey Luke." Nathan and Lucas hugged.

The two went back to watching Haley and Jamie dance.

"I need to talk to you and Haley." Lucas whispered over Nathan.

Nathan searched his brother's facial expression for any hint of what the talk would be about.

"Everything okay?" Nathan asked after gaining no hints from his brother.

Lucas nodded and smiled from ear to ear, "Everything is perfect."

Once the music stopped Jamie and Haley stopped dancing.

"Jamie, go feed Chester." Nathan handed his son a carrot for his pet rabbit.

"Oh I get it! The adults need to talk." Jamie shook his head and took the carrot upstairs.

Everyone laughed at the little boy. He was way too smart for his own good.

"What is it?" Haley said, slightly out of breath.

"Lucas needs to talk to us." Nathan informed his wife as he fetched Haley a water bottle.

"Thanks love!" Haley kissed her husband and guzzled down the water. "So what's going on Luke?"

Lucas almost laughed at the way Haley drank her water but shook the thought out of his head. He pulled out the ring box from his coat pocket.

Haley gasped loudly and Nathan's eyes widened. Lucas opened the box to show them the ring.

"Oh my god it's Keith's ring!" Haley smiled brightly.

"Question is will Brooke like it?" Lucas closed the box and put it back into his pocket.

"Of course! She'll love it." Haley nodded once.

Nathan hesitated. "I thought Brooke liked the more flashy and luxurious things in life?"

"She does but she cherishes sentimental things way more than she does flashy things." Haley said in a matter of fact tone.

Lucas looked from Nathan to Haley then back again. "Maybe you're right Haley!"

Haley smiled and made a face at her husband. "Mm!"

Nathan laughed and turned his attention back to his brother. "What's with the sudden proposal anyways?"

Lucas gave his shoulders a gentle shrug. "Juliet asked if we were getting married and you should have seen the look on Brooke's face when I said someday."

"Luke you aren't rushing into this because of a look Brooke made, right?" Nathan asked.

Lucas shook his head. "No! If I'd known Brooke wanted to be married I would have asked her to marry me at the café after we kissed but I figured she'd wanted to wait." He sighed heavily. "But now that I know we want the same things I think I'm ready."

"Okay Luke but you can't go into this thinking that you're ready. You have to know for sure." Haley said simply.

"I'm ready. I am a 100% ready to call Brooke Davis my wife." Lucas smiled from ear to ear.


	11. Chapter 11

Brooke tapped her freshly manicured nails on the marble of her kitchen counter tops. Lucas had been gone for a few hours now. She contemplated taking Juliet by Haley and Nathan's so she could drop by Lucas' house to see if everything was okay. He'd promise to be back by dinner.

"Are you okay momma?" Juliet exited her bedroom with one Barbie in each hand.

Brooke snapped out of her own thoughts at the sound of her daughter's sweet voice.

"I'm okay sweetie. I'm just trying to decide what we should eat for dinner." Brooke stood up straight and smiled down at her daughter. "Got any ideas?"

Juliet tapped her chin with her index finger, "Hamburgers?"

Brooke smiled, "Hamburgers it is!"

Brooke turned away from her daughter and sighed lightly as she opened the fridge to get out the hamburger meat.

Juliet played with her Barbies in the floor of the living room. Brooke didn't notice Lucas arrival until Juliet squealed.

"Daddy!" Juliet dropped her Barbies and greeted her father at the door with a giant hug.

Brooke jumped at the sound of her daughter's squeal. But she couldn't help but smile when she saw Lucas and Juliet embracing in a bear hug.

"Hey Luke." Brooke called out from her position near the stove before going back to making the hamburger patties.

"Hey beautiful ladies." Lucas greeted both women. He turned back to Juliet and said softly, "I have a question for you." He kneeled down on one knee and pulled the ring box from his coat pocket, "Do you mind if I give your momma this ring and ask to marry her?"He opened the box for Juliet to take a peak.

Juliet clapped her tiny hands to her face. "It's so pretty! Momma would love that!"

Lucas put his index finger to his lips, "Sh! Let's go surprise her together!"

Lucas and Juliet walked hand in hand to the kitchen.

"Momma! Daddy and I would like to ask you something." Juliet tried to pushed her father forward.

Brooke turned around to find Lucas and Juliet standing together. She laughed when she saw Juliet trying to push Lucas.

"What are you doing to your daddy?" Brooke put her hands on her hips.

"He has to ask you something!" Juliet said between struggles to push Lucas.

Lucas and Brooke laughed together.

"What is Luke?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.

Lucas kneeled down one on knee in front of Brooke and pulled the ring box from his coat pocket.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see her daughter trying to tell her to look surprised, but her vision blurred because of tears forming in her eyes.

"Brooke Davis! I want us to be together forever." Lucas peeled open the ring box. "Will you marry me?"

Brooke nodded her head, tears falling down her cheeks. "Yes!"

"Yes?" Lucas jumped up from his knee.

"Yes!" Brooke and Juliet said in unison.

Lucas took the ring and slid it onto Brooke's ring finger. He took Brooke's face into his hands and kissed her soft lips over and over again. The couple hugged but Lucas broke away from the hug to pick up Juliet. The family embraced with a group hug.

"My girls!" Lucas smiled and spun around with Juliet in his arms.

Brooke smiled at Lucas and Juliet then down at her ring.

"It's beautiful!" She mumbled to herself.

Lucas heard Brooke and he stopped spinning.

"I'm glad you like it." He sat a dizzy Juliet back down on the floor and kissed his new fiancé. "It's Keith's ring."

Brooke's eyes lit up. "Are you sure he wanted me to have this? Didn't he think I was crazy?"

Lucas laughed and shook his head, "He loved you Brooke and so do I!" He kissed Brooke again. "I love you Brooke Penelope Davis!"

"Brooke Penelope Davis-Scott!" Brooke playfully corrected him.

"Ah yes, how could I forget it?" Lucas wrapped his arms around his bride to be. "I can't wait to see you walking down that aisle towards me. It'll be a dream come true."

Brooke smiled and brushed her lips against his. "Oh that's funny because I was thinking the same thing. It will be a dream come true for me to walk down the aisle towards you Lucas Scott."

She searched his eyes and found so much love and so much happiness. He truly loved her and she truly loved him.

"It's a dream come true for me too!" Juliet added in.

"Oh yeah? Well it'd be a dream come true for me to become to tickle monster!" Lucas put his hands up in the air and wiggled his fingers at his daughter.

"Mom! You told him about the tickle monster?"Juliet crossed her arms across her chest, "That doesn't scare me anymore!"

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" Lucas began tickling his daughter.

"Hey I want to play too!" Brooke called out from the kitchen.

Lucas whispered to Juliet, "Let's go tickle your momma!"

Juliet and Lucas charged Brooke and both began to tickle her. The three of them laughed together all night. By the end of the night Juliet was too tired to get through a movie with her parents so they sent her off to bed.

"Alone at last!" Lucas said quietly as he closed the door to Juliet's bedroom.

Brooke was seated on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in her lap and the remote in her hand.

"I have a much better idea for movie night." Lucas whispered into Brooke's ear.

Brooke smiled, "Oh really?" She moved the bowl of popcorn and dropped the remote.

She got up from her position on the couch to face Lucas.

"No I was just kidding!" Lucas laughed and plopped down onto the couch.

"You're so mean!" Brooke hit him with a pillow and sat down next to him.

She looked over at him flipping through the movie channels and got an idea. She snatched the remote from his hand.

"Brooke!" Lucas exclaimed. "What are you doing?"

Brooke got up from the couch and walked seductively back to her bedroom, stopping she turned to face Lucas. "Come and see!" She unzipped her dress with one hand and let it fall to the floor.

Lucas jumped up from the couch and raced to Brooke. She squealed and ran into her bedroom. Lucas followed her and closed the bedroom door behind him. They spent their first night together as an official couple.

Brooke woke up in the middle of the night and looked over to find a naked Lucas sleeping peacefully. She gently kissed his forehead and lied back down. This man has brought her so much happiness and joy. She felt lucky that she would be waking up to him every morning.


	12. Chapter 12

The sun rose upon Lucas' face. He squinted to keep the sun out of his dream but was unsuccessful. He peeled open his tired eyes and looked at his beautiful sleeping fiancée, Brooke. She slept peacefully beside him with her ring still on her ring finger. He kissed Brooke softly on her forehead, brushing a few loose strands of hair from her face. He began to quietly get out of bed but stopped and checked on Brooke when the bed creaked loudly. Brooke was still sleeping so he proceeded with climbing out of bed.

Lucas poked his head into Juliet's room and the five year old was also still sleeping. He smiled; Juliet and Brooke were both sleeping in similar positions. Both girls lied on their stomachs with one hand beside them and the other hand on their pillow next to their pink faces.

Lucas walked into the kitchen and began to make breakfast. He cooked eggs and biscuits with a few crispy pieces of bacon and coffee for him and his bride-to-be. He was looking forward to doing this for this for the rest of his life.

The smell of breakfast woke both girls. First Juliet clumsily appeared from behind her pale white bedroom door. She greeted her father with a sleepy smile and sleepy eyes.

"Daddy!" Juliet squealed in a hoarse and squeaky voice.

She hugged her father's legs.

Brooke then appeared in the kitchen next. "Good morning?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at the food piling up on her dining table. "What's this Lucas?" Her morning voice even more hoarse then her usual voice.

Lucas smiled and guided both girls to the dining table. "I cooked my beautiful girls some breakfast!"

He pulled out Juliet's chair and kissed her forehead once she was seated. Next he kissed Brooke before pulling out her chair and he kissing her again once she took her seat. He poured Brooke a cup of coffee and sat it in front of her. He grabbed Juliet's milk and sat the cup in front of her.

"Now let's eat up!" Lucas took his seat in between Brooke and Juliet.

The family all held hands and joined together in a simple blessing over their food. Over breakfast the family exchanged kisses, high-fives, and laughter.

"I could get used to this!" Brooke said to Lucas after breakfast.

The pair was standing near the front door waiting to drive their daughter to school.

Lucas kissed Brooke, "I could get used to this too." He said against her lips.

Brooke suddenly felt hot as she wrapped her arms around Lucas' neck. The pair began to make-out but Juliet interrupted her parents.

"Gross!" Juliet covered her eyes but peaked through one finger. "I'm ready for school!"

Both Brooke and Lucas laughed at their precious daughter. How did she become so smart and so much like her mother?

Brooke and Lucas drove Juliet to school and decided to head over to Karen's Café to visit Nathan and Haley for an update. Nathan, Haley, and Jamie all had breakfast together every morning at Karen's Café so Haley could open the restaurant.

"Nathan Scott! Your car keys are in the booth." Haley was saying to her husband as Brooke and Lucas stepped inside of the café.

"Oh you're a life saver." Nathan kissed his wife and noticed his brother and his soon to be sister-in-law. "Hey guys! Bye guys!" Nathan zoomed past the couple.

Haley laughed at her husband's behavior. "He has another session of physical therapy." She explained to her friend before hugging them separately.

Brooke tried showing Haley her ring by propping her hand on her chest. "Is it hot in here or is it me?" She began to fan herself to get Haley to notice her ring but nothing was working.

"Oh I'll just go turn up the air." Haley wanted to laugh at her friend's not so subtle way of trying to show off her engagement ring.

Haley wasn't going to give it to her easy so she turned away from her.

"You two want some coffee?" She asked.

Lucas looked from Haley then to Brooke.

"Women could be so weird about things!" He thought to himself as he took a seat at the bar.

"Haley!" Brooke squealed.

"What?" Haley turned to face Brooke.

When Haley turned Brooke had her hand in her face.

"Oh! You mean that?" Haley pretended to brush it off. "Lucas showed it to me last night."

Brooke pouted and crossed her arms across her chest, "Thanks a lot Lucas Scott."

Lucas' eyebrows shot up. "What did I do?!"

"You ruined my 'let me tell my best friend I got engaged' moment!" Brooke's pout deepened.

Both Lucas and Haley laughed at how adorable Brooke looked with her deep pout and her arms crossed.

Haley came around the counter and hugged Brooke. "Congrats best friend! It really is a beautiful ring."

"Thank you Hales!" Brooke's pout turned into a wide smile. "I'm glad I could share this with you. Out of everyone I could share it with I'm glad it's you."

Brooke's words brought tears to Haley's eyes. "Aw really?" She began to fan her wet eyes.

Brooke laughed and nodded. "You're my best friend and Juliet's god mother."

The two women hugged again. This time Lucas jumped into the hug.

"Aw family hug!" Lucas playfully squeezed both women. "Kodak moment." He teased.

"You're so weird!" Haley called out from underneath the hug.

"But you love me?!" Lucas released the women from the hug.

Haley rolled her eyes. "I do love you."

Lucas and Haley had always been like brother and sister. Brooke was never threatened by their relationship like she was by Peyton and Lucas.

"I love you too Lucas Scott." Brooke kissed him. "That reminds me!" She turned to Haley. "Will you be my maid of honor?"

Before Haley could answer Peyton walked over to the group.

"Damn I always hoped that would be me!" Peyton smiled and dug her hands into her pockets. "Hey guys!"

No one knew how to react to Peyton's presence. They'd all seen Peyton since she'd been back in town. Lucas was renting her space out of his all ages club. Peyton had gone to see Haley the day she came back into town but she didn't invited Haley to her quickie outdoor wedding. Brooke had dinner with Peyton the other night. They'd all had their moments with Peyton not too long ago but why was this encounter so awkward?


	13. Chapter 13

"Oh look at the time. I gotta get going to the school to set up practice!" Lucas leaned over and kissed Brooke. "It was nice seeing you Peyton." Lucas dashed out of the café past Peyton.

Peyton watched him leave and she turned back to Haley and Brooke.

"It seemed like you guys were having so much fun. Sorry if I ruined it." Peyton turned on her heel to exit the café.

Haley and Brooke looked at one another. Brooke nodded her head towards Peyton, signaling for Haley to say something. Haley shook her head and shooed Brooke toward Peyton.

"Go!" Haley mouthed to Brooke.

Brooke sighed lightly and rolled her eyes. "Peyton, wait up!"

Peyton stopped at the door of the café and turned around.

"Stay and have lunch with us. Lucas took my car anyways so I have to wait for him to get off of work or I could bum a ride off of you!" Brooke forced a soft laugh out of her suddenly dry throat.

Peyton smiled from ear to ear, "You sure?"

Brooke and Haley both nodded in unison.

"Yeah it'll be fun!" Haley forced a smile upon her pink face. "Plus our cook is working today so none of us have to actually cook anything."

The three women laughed together; the tension visibly leaving the small café.

xoxo

Lucas pulled Brooke's car into his parking spot at his old high school.

After getting out of college Lucas was offered a coaching position at the high school he once attended and played basket ball. He took his old friend from high school, Skillz Taylor, on as his assistant coach. After Nathan's bar fight that left him temporarily paralyzed Lucas also took Nathan on as a coach for motivation to get his younger brother walking again.

Lucas walked through the gym and back to his office. In his office sat his old high school friends, Mouth and Skillz. Skillz was seated behind Lucas' desk and Mouth was leaned against a wall. Both men were checking out videos on a laptop set up on Lucas' desk.

"Hey guys!" Lucas walked inside of his small office.

Both men looked up from what they were doing when they heard Lucas' voice.

"My man, Luke!" Skillz jumped up from Lucas' chair. "Where you been man?"

Lucas laughed and hugged his friend. "I've been off getting engaged!" He informed his friends.

Mouth and Skillz's mouths both dropped open.

"You and Lindsay are getting married?" Mouth said with a frown. He was rooting for Lucas and Brooke. He'd learn of Brooke's arrival back in Tree Hill through an alert at his job at the news station.

Lucas shook his head. "No I proposed to Brooke last night."

Skillz shook his bald head and laughed in disbelief. "What happened to my girl Lindsay?"

"It just wasn't working anymore." Lucas admitted simply.

"Well if you happy man then I'm happy!" Skillz gave his shoulders a stiff shrug.

"Me too!" Mouth gave Lucas a hug. "Congrats!"

"Thanks guys." Lucas smiled from ear to ear. He was happy he was getting everyone's approval.

xoxo

Brooke's assistant Millicent was back in town. This time she was back for good to help Brooke run Clothes Over Bros in Tree Hill.

Millicent walked into Karen's Café and found Brooke sitting in a booth across from a familiar looking thin woman.

"Brooke there you are!" Millicent rushed over to her boss. "We have an appointment to check out the building across the street." She reminded Brooke.

Brooke looked up from her glass of ice water. "Well we are two seconds away from the building. We don't have to be extra early Millie!" She sighed lightly. "Peyton this is my amazing but sometimes pain in the butt assistant Millicent. Millicent this is Peyton Sawyer." She introduced the two with the wave of her hand.

"You're Peyton Sawyer?!" Millicent gaped at finally meeting Peyton Sawyer. The Peyton Sawyer she'd heard her boss complain and bitch about for almost two years. The Peyton Sawyer that ripped out her boss' heart back in high school.

Peyton raised both eyebrows and looked back and forth from Brooke and her assistant Millicent.

"I take it you talk a lot about me!" She guessed.

Brooke pretended to cough and she slid out of the booth. "I need something to drink." Brooke rushed off to the café counter.

"Brooke do not fake cough me! You have water sitting right here." Peyton turned to Millicent. "It's nice to meet you." She said with a laugh.

Millicent stood still and watched Peyton. "Oh it's nice to meet you too!" Millicent pretended to take sudden interest in the café's ceiling tiles.

After a few minutes away from the table Brooke grabbed her purse from the booth.

"I'm ready to go Millie. Would you like to join us Peyton?" She turned to her old friend.

Peyton raised an eyebrow to Brooke. "No more coughing?" She playfully teased her. "Sure I'd love to come and scout out a possible location for your new clothing store."

Millicent, Brooke, and Peyton all left the café together. They laughed and walked the short distance across the street to the space for sell. They walked inside and Brooke was amazed at the space.

"It's so open and much bigger than I thought it would be! Perfect for a small boutique. "Brooke looked around and walked into the back. "The back is perfect for an office space or some place for Juliet to play after school." She called out from the space in the back.

Brooke walked out from the back room to find her realtor standing out in the front corridor with Millicent and Peyton.

"Miss Davis!" The rail thin realtor greeted her client.

"Shelia." Brooke shook her realtor's hand. "I love this space."

The realtor nodded slowly. "Well that is both good and bad. It's good because it's the only space I had to show you today. But it's bad because your partner Victoria is trying to fight the purchase."

Brooke's mouth dropped open. She'd taken her mom, Victoria, on as a business partner. Brooke had only given her mother forty percent of the company which left Brooke her boss.

"One moment ladies." Brooke pulled out her phone and dialed her mother's number.

After the first ring Victoria picked up. "Brooke. I've been trying to reach you!"

Brooke rolled her brown eyes. "I've been busy mother. I've found the perfect location to open a new store here in Tree Hill but I guess you already know that I've been looking since you're trying to prevent me from buying any property."

"Why would you want to buy a property there Brooke? A small town like that doesn't need a fancy boutique!"' Victoria said.

"I'm opening the store Victoria whether you like it or not." Brooke said simply to her mother.

"Brooke…" Victoria began but Brooke interrupted her.

"I'm opening it! Oh and I'm engaged to Lucas Scott." Brooke hung up the phone and turned to her realtor. "We're getting this building, today." She closed the deal and a few hours later she was the official owner of the space next door to Karen's Café.


	14. Chapter 14

"I noticed that ring on your ring finger!" Peyton pointed out to Brooke.

The two women were driving towards Juliet's school to pick up the five year old. Peyton offered to drive Brooke since Lucas had her car.

Brooke looked down at the ring Lucas proposed to her with. "Yeah Lucas and I are getting married."

Peyton's eyes widened but she quickly fixed her facial expression. "When did this happen?"

Brooke smiled at the memory of Lucas' sweet proposal. "Last night actually!"

"He proposed to you with Keith's ring?" Peyton questioned as she pulled in front of the preschool Juliet attended.

Brooke glanced over at Peyton and frowned. "How do you know this is Keith's ring?"

Peyton opened her mouth to say something but couldn't find the words. How do you tell your friend that her fiancé proposed to her with the same ring? She couldn't tell Brooke, not now. Not after the girls finally made up.

Before Peyton could come up with an excuse as to why she knew that Brooke's ring was once Keith's ring, Juliet came running out of the building.

"Oh look there she is." Peyton nodded her chin towards Juliet.

Brooke hesitated but climbed out of the car to fetch her daughter from the school's court yard.

"Juliet!" She called out to her daughter.

Juliet greeted her mother with a bear hug. "Hey momma!"

"Hey sweetie." Brooke took her daughter's hand and led her over to Peyton's old black Comet.

"Aunt Peyton?" Juliet questioned as she climbed into the backseat of the black convertible.

Peyton turned and greeted the young girl with a bright smile. "Hey! I'm glad you remember me."

Brooke took her seat in the front next to Peyton. She didn't forget about Peyton's hesitation about knowing her ring was Keith's ring.

_"Maybe Lucas proposed to Peyton first?"_ Brooke thought to herself but she quickly shook the thought out of her head. "Lucas wouldn't do that to me." She accidentally said out loud.

"Do what?" Peyton questioned as she drove toward their old high school were Lucas now coached.

Brooke looked back at her daughter smiling in the back seat then she looked at Peyton. "We'll talk about this later." She whispered to Peyton.

Peyton fought off the urge to bit her bottom lip. _"Had Brooke figured it out all on her own?"_ She hoped Brooke doesn't know about the proposal. Lucas would really hate Peyton if Brooke ever found out. _"But how do you keep something like that from your friend?" _She thought to herself.

xoxo

"Coach Scott!" A student by the name Quentin Fields called out to Lucas.

Lucas looked up from his clip board full of plays. "Mr. Fields you are late! Go run." He shooed the boy off with a point of his finger towards the edge of the court.

"Sir yes sir!" Quentin said with a laugh and a wave of his hand toward his forehead.

Quentin Fields was one of the best players on the Ravens. He knew it and was very cocky about his talents. Although he was beginning to soften up towards his team mates and coaches with the help of Nathan Scott's son Jamie Scott. Jamie reminded Quentin of his little brother and he couldn't be bad towards Jamie. Quentin began his suicide run along the edge of the court while his team mates practiced.

"Hey Coach Scott need any cheerleaders?" Brooke called out to her fiancé as she walked into the gym with her daughter, Juliet and her friend, Peyton.

Lucas looked up from his clip board and smiled from ear to ear. "If it's you then yes!" He kissed his fiancée and daughter. "Hey Peyton." Lucas coldly greeted Peyton.

"Hey Luke. The team seems to really be coming together." Peyton pointed out.

When Lucas failed to do anything but stare at her, Peyton just walked away and moved to go sit on the bleachers. Brooke noticed the bad energy between the two of them.

"Juliet, honey go play with your cousin Jamie!" Brooke nodded toward the small four year old boy trying to dribble a basketball.

"Jamie!" Juliet squealed as she ran towards her cousin.

Brooke laughed as the two kids hugged but she turned towards Lucas. "What's going on between you and Peyton?" She asked as she fixed a button on his shirt.

"Nothing is going between us Brooke! Nothing has gone on between us since freshman year of college." Lucas turned away from his fiancée and blew his whistle at his team. "Coach Skillz please take over for a second."

Skillz nodded and started the team on a new play.

"No I mean, why are you so cold towards her?" Brooke looked over at her shoulder at Peyton.

Lucas sighed and shrugged. "She's done a lot to hurt the both of us."

Brooke turned her attention back on Lucas. "What did she do to hurt you?"

Lucas opened his mouth but nothing came out. He scratched the back of his head.

"Don't you go trying to think of a lie or excuse Lucas Scott!" Brooke knew him too well.

Lucas sighed heavily. "I proposed to her and she said no." He finally admitted.

Brooke laughed in disbelief. "That's how she knows this is Keith's ring." She thought aloud.

_"Shit!"_ Lucas thought to himself. _"Peyton always has to go screwing stuff up." _

"Did you propose to us with the same ring?" Brooke began to slide the ring off her finger. She already knew the answer but she wanted to see if he would lie to her again.

Lucas held Brooke's hand to stop her from taking the ring off. "I did but I never gave her the ring."

"Because she said no!" Brooke cried out.

Lucas pulled Brooke out of the gym so no one would hear them arguing especially Juliet and Peyton.

"Brooke I don't want to argue. I'm sorry I never told you about proposing to her." Lucas dropped his hold of Brooke's hand.

"Whatever Luke." Brooke took off the ring and put it into his hand. "I'm tired of always being the foot note in someone else' love story. I even get a hand me down reject ring." She rushed off to the women's bathroom after feeling tears forming in her eyes.

Lucas watched her run away from him. He threw his clip board at a locker nearby. "Peyton Sawyer." He turned and set his anger in Peyton's direction. "Peyton I need to speak to you?"

"About what?" Peyton pulled her attention away from the two children playing in front of her.

"Now Peyton!" Lucas said sternly.

The two adults exited the gym. Lucas was beyond angry with Peyton. Why couldn't she just stop bringing drama into his life?

"Is there an alarm that goes off in your head whenever I'm happy with another woman?" Lucas spat the words out at Peyton.

Peyton opened her mouth but only managed to let out a cry. His words hurt her. She wasn't intentionally trying to hurt him. "I'm sorry Luke!"

Lucas rolled his eyes and roughly rubbed his hot forehead. "Sorry isn't enough Peyton!" He turned away from her. "Because of you my fiancée is sitting in a high school bathroom crying her eyes out."

Peyton reached to grab Lucas' arm. "Luke I didn't mean to hurt Brooke." She pulled Lucas to face her.

Lucas reluctantly turned to face Peyton. Anger still reading deep in his eyes.

She gently caressed his cheek with her thumb. "I will go make it up with Brooke. Will that make it better?"

As Lucas tried to pull away from Peyton's grip her husband, Jake, walked into the hallway.

"There you are Peyton." He stopped in his tracks as she saw his wife standing with her ex-boyfriend.

Peyton quickly dropped her hold on Lucas' face when she heard her husband's voice. "Jake!"

Jake turned and left Peyton standing alone in the hallway with Lucas. Peyton ran after him.

"Jake, wait!" Peyton called after him.

Jake angrily turned on his heel to face his wife. "I thought this was over with Peyton? You and Him?"

Peyton shook her head. "It is Jake!"

"Then what was that Peyton?" Jake ran his fingers through his chocolate brown hair.

"We were just…" Peyton tried to find the words to explain her exchange with Lucas. "He blames me for his troubles with Brooke."

Jake laughed in disbelief. "Of course he does!"

"What does that mean?" Peyton asked her feelings hurt.

"It means you're back to creating drama with Lucas Scott because you can't stand seeing him happy with someone else!" Each word he said fueled by anger.

"You know that isn't true!" Peyton pleaded with him. She tried reaching for his hand but he jerked away.

"Is that why you have twenty plus copies of his book sitting in your studio?" Jake questioned. "Isn't that why you came back to Tree Hill! You're still in love with him Peyton. Tell me I'm wrong!"

Peyton opened her mouth and turned to look back at Lucas. She couldn't manage an 'I don't love him Jake' out of her mouth. Jake turned and left the high school, leaving his wife staring at the guy she should have married.

Brooke finally came out of the bathroom. "Lucas I'm sorry I was being silly!" She apologized and kissed her fiancée. She noticed Peyton standing there staring at Lucas. "What's going on guys?"

Peyton and Lucas looked at one another then Brooke.

"Nothing!" Lucas turned to Brooke. "Nothing at all. I promise to buy you a nice new ring." Lucas kissed her forehead and led her back into the gym with his arm around her waist. He was done with Peyton and her drama.

Lucas just made his choice. He chose to be with Brooke instead of getting back together with Peyton. The choice hit Peyton like a ton of bricks. She wasn't expecting for her feelings for Lucas to come rushing back again. Maybe Jake was right about her? Maybe she still was in love with Lucas.


	15. Chapter 15

Lucas returned to practice with his fiancée on his arm. Brooke and Lucas exchanged a long and savoring kiss before Lucas went back to coaching and Brooke joined her daughter, Juliet and her nephew, Jamie.

Brooke slid out of her black leather heels and began to run around with the two kids. Brooke loved the role of mother and aunt. She raced the kids down a long stretch of hall way until her friend Haley Scott interrupted.

"There you are Jamie Scott!" Haley kneeled down and took her son's face into her hands.

"Mom I'm alright." Jamie preyed himself away from his mother's touch. "Can I go play now?"

Haley laughed. "Well fine go play with someone else!" She playfully teased her son.

"Mom!" Jamie looked at his mom from beneath his eye lashes.

"Go play silly." Haley shooed her son away.

"Sorry Hales they were getting restless sitting in that gym." Brooke greeted her friend with a simple and tight hug.

"No it's okay. You're great with Jamie." Haley smiled.

"I love that little boy like a son! Who taught him how to be so damn cute though?" Brooke asked with a soft and genuine laugh.

"Most likely his father." Haley linked arms with Brooke and the two women sat on the floor in the hallway while their kids played around them.

Brooke explained to Haley everything about Peyton and Lucas' unknown almost engagement. Haley shook her head; she thought Lucas had already told Brooke. Lucas told Haley after Peyton turning down his proposal the night it happened. Haley was Lucas' first call.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that. Peyton can be such trouble sometimes." Haley gave her eyes a slight roll. "Maybe one day she'll learn better."

"I kind of feel bad for her." Brooke admitted.

"You do?" Haley asked.

Brooke nodded slowly. "Something has to be going on in that girl's mind or life or soul! From what I've heard from Lucas so far it seems like she doesn't want him to be happy with anyone but her; however, she doesn't even want to be with him when he is single."

Haley shook her head in disbelief. "Leave it to Peyton to not make sense."

"I just hope she doesn't try and stop my wedding." Brooke said with a silly smile. "That is when I'd slap a bitch!"

Both Brooke and Haley laughed together. But neither woman put it past Peyton to stop the wedding because of Peyton's history with Lucas. It seemed as if Peyton only wants Lucas when he isn't single, but when Lucas is single she usually doesn't want anything to do with him unless he is pondering feelings for someone else. Now Lucas was getting married to Brooke and this seemed to be Peyton's last chance to mess things up for Lucas.

xoxo

Lucas ended practice early so he and his family could go home. They had been through a lot today and both Lucas and Brooke just wanted the day to be over already.

"Hey pretty girl!" Lucas approached his sleepy daughter. "You ready to go home?"

"Oh daddy please can we go home?" Juliet pleaded. "I'm sleepy and hungry."

Lucas laughed and picked her up. "We're going home right now to eat and sleep. That okay with you?"

"Totally!" A sleepy smile spread across Juliet's pink face.

Brooke, Lucas, and Juliet all rode home in silence. Juliet quickly falling asleep in her car seat while her parents sat in the front and held hands.

"I'm sorry about today Brooke!" Lucas glanced over at Brooke.

"It's okay. I over reacted." Brooke admitted her wrong doing in the situation. "I would love to wear Keith's ring." She smiled from ear to ear, flashing her hand.

"You put it back on?" Lucas suddenly noticed.

"I did!" Brooke kissed his cheek as he continued to drive. "Hey why don't we sleep at your house tonight? It's Friday and Juliet doesn't have school tomorrow."

"You just keep making me happier and happier Brooke Davis." Lucas pulled into Brooke's driveway.

"Well isn't that my job?" Brooke kissed him before climbing out of the car.

She raced inside and grabbed a change of clothes for herself and her daughter to take to Lucas' home. They were going to have to decide which house they would call home after they got married. Brooke loved her house on the beach but would love to stay with Lucas at his home too.

"That was quick." Lucas commented as Brooke climbed back into her car.

"Well I didn't want to keep you waiting!" Brooke slid into her seat belt.

xoxo

Lucas carried a sleepy Juliet into his house. She'd woken up after Lucas unbuckled her from her car seat.

"Whose house is this?" Juliet asked with a soft yawn.

"This is daddy's house!" Brooke followed behind Lucas and Juliet.

"Do we live here now?" Juliet asked with a sleepy grin.

"Maybe!" Brooke answered.

Lucas carefully sat Juliet onto his couch and turned on cartoons for her to watch. "We'll go make you some dinner so don't fall asleep on us!" Lucas kissed his daughter's forehead.

"I won't daddy!" Juliet said with a sudden burst of energy.

Brooke and Lucas gathered into the kitchen to make pizza. The couple chatted about whose house they were going to move into after getting married.

"If my mom comes back and wants to stay here in Tree Hill then the house is hers!" Lucas said as he checked the timer on the oven.

"So are you saying we should keep both houses?" Brooke sat down on top of Lucas' kitchen counter.

"I'm saying that makes a lot more sense!" Lucas smiled and wrapped his arms around Brooke's waist. "Besides I could call any place home as long as you and Juliet are there with me."

"Aw!" Brooke squealed quietly. "That kind of made me hot?!"

"Oh really?" Lucas inched closer to her.

"Yes really!" Brooke leaned down to kiss her fiancé but before she could the stove's timer went off.

"Pizza is ready." Juliet ran into the kitchen.

Lucas quickly pulled apart from Brooke and grabbed the pizza from the oven. Brooke sighed heavily and jumped off of the kitchen counter.

"The faster she falls asleep the faster we can…" Brooke whispered into Lucas' ear.

Lucas suddenly perked up and quickly sliced Juliet a slice of the cheese pizza. "Eat up sleepy head!"

Lucas and Brooke both rushed through dinner. They scarfed down their scolding hot pizza within ten minutes. Juliet decided to take her time. Lucas and Brooke were forced to sit and watch their daughter eat slowly.

"Okay now I'm done!" Juliet wiped her tiny mouth and jumped from her seat. "Bath time."

_"Oh no bath time!"_ Brooke thought to herself. _"I want bath time with Lucas."_

Brooke ran Juliet's bath water and sat on the edge of the tub while her daughter bathe herself. The two girls chatted and laughed as they went over Juliet's day in school.

"I love you momma." Juliet said as she climbed underneath the covers.

"I love you too princess!" Brooke kissed her daughter's forehead and walked out. She quietly cracked the door to Karen's old room.

"Is she asleep?" Lucas asked.

Brooke put her index finger to her lips and counted down on her fingers from three to one. When she heard her daughter snoring from the other side of the door she grinned.

"Now she is asleep!" Brooke almost squealed.

Lucas raced toward his fiancée and picked her up. He threw her over his shoulder and carried her into his bathroom.

"Now it's our turn to take a bath!" Lucas said with a laugh.


	16. Chapter 16

Lucas sat down his bride-to-be down on her feet once they reached the hallway where the bathroom was.

"I have a surprise for you." Lucas took Brooke's petite hand into his and led her to the door of the bathroom.

"Lucas Scott what are you about to do?" Brooke asked.

Lucas stopped at the door way to the bathroom. "It's bath time!" He chuckled softly and walked behind Brooke, covering her eyes.

Brooke held back the urge to scream out in joy. "What is it?" She said in anticipation.

Lucas uncovered Brooke's eyes once the two were in his bathroom. The bathroom was dark but dozen of candles surrounded the tub and a dozen more surrounded the sink. Red and pink rose petals were scattered on the bathroom floor and a bubble bath was waiting for the couple in the tub.

Brooke gasped loudly at the sight. "Lucas Scott!"

Brooke turned and found her fiancé kneeling down on one knee.

"Now I know I've already proposed to you but I know you Brooke Davis and I know this is how you've always imagined getting engaged. Besides I owe this to you after today." Lucas pulled another ring box out of pocket.

Lucas sneaked off during practice and called Brooke's assistant, Millicent for help. Millicent ran out and bought a new ring for Brooke and slipped the new ring into Brooke's car for Lucas to find. After the confrontation with Peyton and Jake, Lucas' feelings for Brooke were reassured. He'd mess things up with Brooke before but he wasn't going to let that happen again.

He peeled open the new ring box. "So Brooke Davis, will you make me the happiest man alive and spend the rest of your life smiling that smile and having my kids?" Lucas laughed and took the ring out of the box.

Brooke was sobbing quietly in front of Lucas. He was right, she had also pictured her engagement happening like this.

"I will Lucas Scott!" Brooke kissed him several times.

Lucas quickly slipped the ring onto Brooke's ring finger and took her into a hug, spinning around with her in his arms.

"I love you Brooke Davis-Scott!" Lucas kissed her soft pink lips.

"I love you too Lucas Scott!" Brooke ran her fingers through her fiancé's sandy blond hair.

Lucas sat Brooke back down onto her feet, holding her until he was sure she was stable on her own two feet. Brooke ran her fingers down Lucas' chest and slowly unbuttoned his shirt. Lucas watched Brooke with focused eyes.

_"God she is beautiful."_ Lucas thought to himself.

Once Brooke got Lucas' shirt unbuttoned she slid it off of his arms and kissed him. She slid her blouse over her auburn curls and let it drop to the floor. Lucas watched the shirt fall to the floor and he undid his pants as Brooke slid off her skirt. Lucas picked up Brooke and carried her to the bed.

Dropping her on the bed, Lucas slid out of his plaid boxers and climbed over Brooke. He took in the beauty of the woman he was about to marry. He smiled down at Brooke and kissed her, their tongues meeting.

"I love you so much!" Lucas whispered to Brooke.

"I love you too." Brooke passionately kissed Lucas.

Lucas' hands explored every curve of Brooke's body. He unhitched her bra with one hand and ran his other hand down to her hips, sliding off her tan lace panties. As Lucas pushed deeply into Brooke, the two moaned in unison. Brooke moved her hips in unison to her fiancé's. This went on all night, the moans getting louder and the thrusts getting deeper.

xoxo

"Momma!" Juliet raced into her parents' bedroom.

Lucas and Brooke lied underneath the covers still naked from the night before. Lucas held Brooke close in his arms as they both slept.

"Daddy!" Juliet saw her parents still asleep so she climbed on top of their bed. She began to jump up and down to wake up her parents.

After several moments Lucas woke up to find his daughter bouncing up and down in his face. He smiled but the smile quickly disappeared from his face as he remembered he was still naked.

"Good morning daddy!" Juliet smiled and plopped down on the far end of the bed.

"Good morning pretty girl." Lucas greeted his daughter. He turned to Brooke who was still fast asleep. He began to shake her softly. "Brooke! Wake up." He whispered into her ear.

Brooke jumped awake at the feel of something brushing against her ear. When she noticed it was only her fiancé she laughed.

"Oh good morning handsome!" Brooke leaned up to kiss him.

Lucas nodded toward Juliet who was intently watching her parents. Brooke almost gasped when she saw her daughter sitting in the bed.

"Good morning princess!" Brooke smiled brightly at her daughter.

"Good morning momma!" Juliet climbed out of the bed. "I'll go so you and daddy can get dressed."

Brooke and Lucas looked at each other and burst into fits of laughter.

"That girl is way too smart!" Lucas mentioned as he leaned down to kiss Brooke. "Good morning beautiful."

Brooke kissed Lucas and pressed her bare body against his. "Good morning!"

"God you're so tempting Brooke Davis!" Lucas climbed out of the bed and put on his boxers. He looked back at his naked fiancée and shook his head.

"What?" Brooke asked innocently.

"You know what?!" Lucas bit his lip as he took in the sight of his fiancee lying in the bed.

xoxo

"Jamie Scott! Your cousin will be here any minute!" Haley called to her son from the bottom of her spiral stair case.

Jamie Scott came bobbing down the stairs. "I know! I have all my fun toys out!"

Haley smiled and brushed her son's hair with her hand. "My baby is so cute!"

"Mom!" Jamie whined out.

"I know! I know! You're not a baby anymore." Haley smiled and shook her head. "You're always gonna be my baby Jamie."

Jamie gave his brown eyes a small roll. "I know!" He climbed into his breakfast stool.

"Hey little man!" Nathan came in from outside. "You excited about your play date with your cousin?"

"I guess. I like Juliet. She's fun!" Jamie sank his teeth into his grilled cheese sandwich.

"Good morning honey." Nathan kissed his wife and playfully slapped her on her butt.

"Good morning sexy." Haley whispered against her husband's lips.

"Oh I like the sound of that!" Nathan wrapped his arms around his wife but the doorbell rang.

Haley groaned and closed her eyes. "It's Brooke and Lucas with Juliet."

"I got it!" Jamie jumped out of his chair and raced to the door. He struggled to open the front door but eventually got it open. "Hey Juliet! I got my toys out in my room."

Juliet and Jamie raced upstairs to play in Jamie's bedroom.

"Hey love birds!" Nathan greeted his big brother and Brooke.

"Hey Nate." Lucas hugged his little brother and his sister in law. "Hey Hales."

"Hey guys!" Brooke stepped into the house after Lucas. She hugged Nathan and Haley.

The couples gathered in the living room of Nathan and Haley's home.

"Someone is glowing!" Haley pointed out about her friend.

Brooke held up her hand. "Lucas proposed last night."

Haley and Nathan both frowned, confused.

"I thought he already proposed?" Nathan asked slowly.

Brooke and Lucas both laughed.

"He proposed again with a new ring?!" Brooke squealed.

Haley took in the large diamond sitting on her friend's ring finger. "It's huge Luke!"

"Well I'm glad you noticed the size Hales?!" Lucas playfully teased his best friend.

Haley hit his arm softly. "It is beautiful!"

Brooke smiled from ear to ear. "I know right?!"

The group all laughed in unison.

"I'm happy for you two." Nathan admitted. "It's about time you two ended up together."


	17. Chapter 17

Lucas' phone began to buzz and move across the coffee table. Everyone looked down at the caller id but no one moved when they saw the number that was on the screen. Lucas looked over at Brooke who was reaching for the vibrating phone.

"Lucas! Answer it." Brooke handed the phone to a hesitant Lucas. "What's the matter? She is still your publicist remember?"

Everyone broke the silence and tension in the air with laughter.

"I totally forgot about the publicist part to be honest." Lucas admitted as he got up to answer his phone.

Brooke watched her fiancé pace as he talked on the phone and she shook her head.

"He is so hesitant about ex-girlfriends since the Peyton incident." Brooke sat back in her chair.

"Well can you blame him?" Haley spoke up. "I mean that Peyton encounter was brutal for him."

Brooke frowned and nodded slowly. "It was but I'm not going anywhere so those bitches can give it a rest already!"

Nathan, Haley, and Brooke all laughed in unison.

"I admire that about you Brooke Davis." Nathan said.

"Admire what big brother?" Brooke asked.

Nathan chuckled. "You've moved on from all the drama!"

Lucas hung up the phone and took his seat in the living room.

"Well what did she say?" Brooke turned her attention to Lucas.

Lucas remained silent for a few moments; he was clutching his phone and his eyes were wide.

"What's wrong Luke?" Haley asked.

"Nothing!" Lucas said as a smile began to spread across his face. "That was Lindsay and she said they are making my book into a movie!"

Everyone squealed and shot up from their seats. Brooke hugged Lucas tightly.

"Congrats handsome!" Brooke kissed him several times.

Juliet and Jamie raced downstairs at the sound of a celebration.

"What's going on?" Juliet asked as she saw her parents hugging.

"Daddy is going to make a movie!" Brooke turned to her daughter.

Juliet squealed and jumped into her father's arms. "Go daddy!"

"Go Uncle Lucas!" Jamie smiled up at his uncle.

Brooke picked up her nephew. "Come here cutie!"

The family spent the rest of the afternoon having a cook out to celebrate Lucas' big achievement. Lucas had a meeting with Lindsay about the movie. Haley had an interview at the high school for a teaching position and Nathan had physical therapy. Brooke offered to watch Jamie while she went back to her store and began to decorate with the designers.

xoxo

"You got your toys in hand?" Brooke looked back at the two kids following behind her.

"Check!" Jamie held up his handful of toys.

Juliet followed suit. "Yes momma."

"I want you two to be good while I work, understood?" Brooke opened the door to her store for the young kids.

"Got it!" Jamie raced inside first.

"Yeah me too!" Juliet raced after Jamie.

Brooke laughed and shook her head. She walked inside and found Millicent standing in the center of the empty store.

"Hey Millie. So what do we have done so far?" Brooke asked her assistant.

"Well we got the store painted!" Millicent said. "Who is the cute little boy?"

"Oh that is my god son Jamie Scott." Brooke said simply.

"So no more secret children?" Millicent joked.

Brooke raised her eye brows at her assistant.

"That was a joke!" Millicent said quietly.

Brooke laughed and shook her head. "I know! But no more secret children."

Brooke spent the rest of her afternoon texting Lucas with updates about his meeting and picking out furniture for her new store while the kids played around the store with their toys.

xoxo

Lucas was meeting with his publicist and ex-girlfriend Lindsay at his all age's club, Tric. Tric was opened up by his mother, Karen and his ex-girlfriend, Peyton. Both women left Tree Hill so Lucas inherited the club. Lucas quietly walked into the closed bar, hoping Peyton was working today in her studio. Lucas slid into a bar stool and pulled his phone out.

Peyton heard someone out in the general area of the bar so she peeked out of her door. She found Lucas sitting at the bar alone. She looked around for Brooke but didn't see anyone else.

"Hey Luke." Peyton slowly walked out of her recording office.

Lucas cringed at the sound of Peyton's voice. "What Peyton?"

Peyton smiled sadly. "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Peyton took a seat on the bar stool next to Lucas. Lucas kept his eyes down on his phone. He wanted Peyton to disappear.

Peyton touched his arm. "Luke!"

Lucas pulled away from her and stood up. "Peyton don't!"

"Luke!" Peyton called out to him. "Lucas what is wrong with you?"

Lucas glared at Peyton with so much hate in his eyes. "You tried to break me and my fiancée up or do you not recall that?"

Peyton sighed heavily. "Why are you marrying her Luke?"

Lucas shook his head. "I love her Peyton. I love her Peyton not you!" Lucas' words hurt Peyton.

_"How can he say he doesn't love me?" _Peyton thought to herself. "You love me too Lucas and that isn't fair to Brooke."

Lucas turned to leave, "I'm not dealing with this right now Peyton."

Peyton threw her phone at Lucas' back. "True Love always Luke! We were supposed to have that!"

Lucas groaned as something hard hit his back. He turned back to Peyton. "What the..."

"You ruined us when you proposed in LA!" Peyton closed her eyes and shook her head.

Lucas laughed in disbelief. "You don't get true love always when you turn down a proposal Peyton!"

Peyton's eyes shot up. "I never said no, Luke. I said I wanted to marry you someday! You gave up on us!"

"I gave up on us Peyton?" Lucas began to shout. "By proposing to you I gave up on us?"

Peyton sat back down. "No you didn't want to wait for me! That is giving up on us."

Lucas let another laugh slip from his lips while he scratched the back of his head. "You know what let's tell the truth here Peyton!"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Tell the truth then Luke."

"You gave up on me Peyton!" Lucas lowered his voice. "You didn't think I could get my novel published. You didn't think I could make something of myself. That is why you said no!" Lucas rolled his eyes. "You didn't care because for once it wasn't about you."

Peyton raced back into her office and Lucas followed.

"If I never cared then why do I have so many of these?!" Peyton threw a book at Lucas. "Every time I see this…" She tossed another book at him. "I buy a copy of your stupid book every time I see it!"

Lucas dodged the books Peyton threw at him. He got a glance at one and saw that it was his first book, The Unkindness of Ravens.

"You said I was great!" Peyton threw another book. "You said we were destined to be together!"

Lucas watched Peyton in shock and disbelief.

"You said these things to the world and to me!" Peyton started to cry. "And I wish you never did because none of it was true. You didn't mean any of it!"

Lucas slowly began to raise his hands up above his head, surrendering to Peyton.

"I'm leaving!" Lucas turned and walked out of Peyton's dark office.

As Lucas walked out the office and through the bar Peyton followed him.

"Luke!" Peyton called out to him.

"Leave me alone Peyton." Lucas kept walking.

"Luke, wait please!" Peyton pleaded with him.

Lucas winced at the pain in her voice and he stopped walking.

"I don't feel right about this anymore!" Peyton stood behind him. "Whatever this is between you and me."

Lucas turned to face Peyton. "I was being nice to you Peyton that was it! There is nothing going on between us."

Peyton stepped closer to Lucas to kiss him but the doors to Tric opened. Lindsay walked inside and a tall brunette man walked in behind her.

"Lucas!" Lindsay called out to him.

She could tell from the tension in the air and the phone lying on the floor that something had gone down before she walked in.

"Lucas I want you to meet Julian Baker." Lindsay was hoping to break up whatever was going on. "He will be producing your movie."

Lucas turned to face Lindsay, grateful she'd walked in when she did.

"Peyton Sawyer?" Julian called out as he squinted to see if it was really her. "Peyton Sawyer!"

Peyton opened her mouth to say something but couldn't.

"How do you know each other?" Lindsay questioned.

"We dated when Peyton first moved to LA!" Julian answered.

Lucas' eyebrows shot up. "Thanks for caring Peyton!" He said sarcastically into her ear. "You cared so much you screwed another guy."

Peyton's eyes widened as she looked at the hurt expression on Lucas' face. She closed her eyes and shook her head.

"Let's have the meeting in my office upstairs." Lucas turned and led Lindsay and Julian upstairs.

"Luke!" Peyton cried out for him.

This time Lucas ignored her. Their fight suddenly hitting him.

_"Why would I even entertain her craziness?"_ Lucas thought to himself. _"Never going to happen again."_

Hearing that Peyton had moved on so quickly after their break up flipped a switch in Lucas. Peyton didn't really care about him. Peyton Sawyer was a liar. And it was alarming to him to see how fast she was willing to betray Brooke again if he'd given her the chance. Had Lindsay not walked in Peyton would have kissed him. Peyton's behavior disgusted Lucas to his core. He felt suddenly felt happy about Peyton turning down his proposal because it now he got to marry Brooke, the real woman of his dreams. He wanted to marry her now more than ever. That chapter in his life with Peyton was finally closed.


	18. Chapter 18

Brooke asked her assistant Millicent to watch the kids while she went to give Lucas lunch. Brooke stepped inside of Tric and found a broken phone lying on the ground next to the bar. She picked up the phone and identified it by the phone's case which read Sawyer on the back. She walked into Peyton's office to return the scattered phone. The office was a mess. Books were scattered all over the floor with several random pages laid torn out on the floor. She picked up one of the books and saw that it was Lucas' first book.

"What the hell happened here?" Brooke thought out loud.

Peyton walked into her office but stopped in her tracks when she saw Brooke standing in the middle of her office.

"Brooke!" Peyton quickly wiped the tears and smeared makeup from her face.

Brooke swirled around and saw Peyton. She looked distraught, like she'd been crying for hours.

"Hey what's wrong?" Brooke dropped the book she had been holding and went to hug Peyton.

Peyton collapsed into Brooke's arms. "Jake is leaving me!" She sobbed into Brooke's shoulder.

"Oh well honey he isn't for you! You'll find that special someone one day Peyton." Brooke gently ran her hand up and down her friend's back to calm her down. "People meant to be always find their way to each other."

Peyton pulled away from Brooke's hug. "You think so?"

Brooke smiled and nodded reassuringly. "Oh course! Look at me and Lucas. After four years we've found our way back to each other and now we're getting married." Brooke tried not to squeal.

Lucas was heading out of the club when he heard Brooke's voice. He followed the sound of her voice into Peyton's office. He stopped outside the office. He wasn't sure if he should go inside.

"Peyton stop it!" Brooke yelled at her friend.

Lucas burst into the room at the sound of his fiancée screaming.

"Peyton stop crying." Brooke hugged her friend again.

"Brooke, is everything okay?" Lucas asked frantically.

Brooke smiled. "Everything is fine. Jake and Peyton are just having some issues."

"Brooke!" Peyton squealed.

"What? It's just Lucas!" Brooke rolled her brown eyes. "Hey handsome."

Lucas and Brooke kissed passionately. Brooke brushed her nose against his.

"'I've missed you." Brooke smiled. "And so does Juliet."

Lucas laughed. "I was just on my way to come see you two! How'd you get here?"

Brooke dangled the car keys in her hand. "Millie's car!"

Lucas grabbed Brooke's hand and began to lead her out of Peyton's office after noticing how uncomfortable Peyton was getting.

"Oh wait!" Brooke turned to Peyton. "You gonna be okay here by yourself?"

Peyton nodded slowly. "I'll be fine Brooke!"

Brooke sighed heavily. "Where are you gonna stay P. Sawyer?"

Peyton shrugged her shoulders lightly. "At a hotel probably. At least until I find a new home or apartment."

"No way! You can stay at my house." Brooke offered. "You cannot stay at a dumpy old hotel Peyton."

Both Peyton and Lucas objected to the suggestion at the same time.

"I don't think that is such a great idea." Peyton repeated herself.

"Oh come on Peyton! Lucas and I are staying at his house anyways so we'll almost never be there." Brooke smiled. "I won't take no for an answer."

Peyton smiled and laughed in disbelief. "Okay roommate."

Brooke clapped her hands together. "Great! Here is a spare key and I'll come by later tonight to check on you."

Brooke pulled a spare key out of her purse. Behind her Lucas stared at Peyton with deep disapproval.

_"Why is she doing this to me?"_ Lucas thought to himself.

xoxo

Brooke drove back to her store and Lucas followed behind her. She handed the keys to the car back over to her assistant Millicent.

"How were the kids while I was gone?" Brooke asked.

"Oh they were fine! We just sat and watched TV on my laptop." Millicent informed her boss.

"Okay well you can go home. We can meet back up here tomorrow!" Brooke dismissed her employee.

"Brooke can I talk to you?" Lucas pulled Brooke aside. "Kids go play outside. Be careful out there."

Brooke allowed for Lucas to pull her aside. "What is it Luke? What's wrong?"

Lucas scratched the back of his head. "I don't think it's a good idea to have Peyton staying with us."

Brooke raised both of her eyebrows. "Why not?"

"I thought you two weren't even friends anymore!" Lucas was scrambling for reasons to give Brooke without giving her the real reason.

"We resolved our issues. I would never let someone go homeless!" Brooke stated.

"It's just not a great idea. I don't want any problems between you and me." Lucas took Brooke's hands.

Brooke smiled. "You think what happened in high school might happen again?"

Lucas nodded once and Brooke kissed him.

"Well as long as you keep your lips off of Peyton then nothing like that will ever again!" Brooke laughed.

Lucas groaned and shut his eyes. "She tried to kiss me Brooke." He finally admitted.

Anger took over Brooke's eyes. No more light came from them.

"She what?" Brooke dropped Lucas' hands. "When?"

"At Tric! We got into a fight." Lucas began.

"How does a fight lead to a kiss?" Brooke didn't like the answer her mind came up with. "Angry make-up sex!" She thought out loud.

"What?" Lucas asked. "It was nothing like that!"

"Then what was it like Luke?" Brooke crossed her arms over her chest. "What were you two fighting over?

"We were arguing about our break up." Lucas looked down at his feet.

"And why would you be arguing about that?" Brooke asked.

"We just needed to close that chapter with each other." Lucas tried to explain. "We needed closure."

"A kiss sure sounds like the end to something." Brooke shook her head. "I'm gonna kill that bitch!"

Brooke turned to leave the store but Lucas grabbed her arm.

"Brooke!" Lucas pleaded with her. "It isn't worth it."

Brooke yanked away from his hold. "She needs to know that is over between you two! It is over isn't it Lucas?"

Lucas closed his eyes. "It's so over for me and her Brooke. I chose you to marry! I don't love Peyton like that anymore."

Brooke couldn't help but believe him. If he said it was over then she knew he meant it.

"I love you." Brooke smiled and kissed him.

"I love you too crazy girl!" Lucas laughed.

"But she needs to be put in her place Luke!" Brooke raced out of the store before Lucas could catch her.

Club Tric was only a few blocks away. She was going to set Peyton in her place once and for all. Peyton needed to know that it wasn't okay what she was doing. It was never okay to betray her and Brooke couldn't Peyton would try and betray her twice even after Lucas made it clear that he wanted to marry her. It made Brooke sick to her stomach to know that Peyton could do this to her again without even flinching or thinking twice about it.


	19. Chapter 19

Peyton sat in her office going through paper work. She just signed a new artist to her record label and was jumping through hoops to make sure she gave her new artist, Mia, as many chances to make it as possible.

Brooke walked inside of Tric but she was no longer angry, she was calm from her walk over to Tric. On the walk over Brooke had some time to think of what she would say or do to Peyton. When she first started on her walk to Tric she wanted to bitch slap Peyton but now she had no idea what she was going to do or say.

"Peyton Sawyer." Brooke slowly walked into Peyton's office.

Peyton looked up from the pile of paperwork. "Brooke! What are you doing back here?"

Brooke simply shrugged her shoulders. "I thought I knew."

Peyton laughed. "Well okay. Is everything alright?"

Brooke shook her head slowly. "Actually it's not."

"Well what's wrong Brooke?" Peyton raised an eyebrow to her friend.

"It's you Peyton. You're the problem!" Brooke tried to explain. "I know about the fight with Lucas."

Peyton opened her mouth but Brooke interrupted her.

"My question is why! Why Peyton?" Brooke cried out.

Peyton frowned, "I'm not sure what you mean by that Brooke."

Brooke sighed heavily. "Why is it that every time Lucas and I are happy together you try and find a way to break us up? Or you somehow gain feelings for him the moment he even entertains the thought of being with me!"

Peyton's frown deepened. "I don't know Brooke."

Brooke laughed cynically. "You don't know why you don't want to see Lucas happy?"

"I do want to see him happy Brooke!" Peyton felt tears forming in her eyes.

"No you don't Peyton! And you obviously don't love him." Brooke paused and put her hands on her curvy hips. "If you truly loved him like I did then you'd want to see him happy. You'd want to see him happy even if it meant that happiness wasn't with you."

Tears fell down Peyton's red cheeks. "I love him Brooke I really do. I'm sorry but I do."

Brooke laughed in disbelief. "You don't love him Peyton. You love the idea of Lucas. You love the idea of having someone always there to save you!" She pulled a picture out of her purse. "You also love the challenge of getting something you know you can't have."

The picture was of Peyton and Lucas. Brooke found the picture lying around in Lucas' old junk from high school. Lucas was smiling from ear to ear while Peyton leaned on him without even a glimmer of happiness in her eyes. Brooke handed the picture to Peyton.

"Look at the picture Peyton." Brooke pointed to Lucas' face. "Look how happy he was to have you!"

Peyton's tears began to spill out of her eyes as she starred at the picture.

"Look how dull you look Peyton. You finally had him and look how unhappy you looked!" Brooke pulled another picture out.

This picture was of Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton. Lucas and Brooke were holding each other while Peyton stood in the background starring at Lucas. She had so much desire in her eyes. So much lust for Lucas. The pictures were only two weeks apart.

"Now look at this picture." Brooke handed Peyton the photo. "You wanted Lucas so bad. These pictures were only two weeks apart Peyton. The only difference is that in one picture you had Lucas and in another you didn't."

Peyton studied the pictures intently. She looked up at Brooke with wide eyes. Maybe Brooke was right. Maybe she only wanted Lucas when she couldn't have him. Maybe she only liked the challenge of getting Lucas to herself but there was no more challenge when she had Lucas so there was no more interest.

Brooke turned to leave but Peyton stopped her.

"Brooke I'm so sorry!" Peyton cried out.

Brooke felt bad for Peyton. "It's not your fault Peyton. I just hope now you see what you're doing."

Brooke left Tric in silence. There were no fights, no bitch slaps, and no yelling. Brooke wasn't angry with Peyton anymore. She honestly felt bad for Peyton. Peyton was confused and needed to find herself outside trying to find that fairy tale relationship.

xoxo

Brooke walked back to her store to find Lucas playing outside with Jamie and Juliet.

"Hey handsome!" Brooke kissed her husband. "You seem to be really good at this dad thing."

Lucas laughed but pulled back to examine Brooke. She didn't seem angry or upset or sad. She just appeared to be calm.

"So what happened at Tric?" Lucas asked as he pulled Brooke into his arms.

Brooke smiled. "I just had a heart to heart with Peyton. She is really lost Luke. I feel bad for her and I want to help her find her way again." Her smile faded.

Although she tried her best not to care about Peyton, Brooke just couldn't pretend not to care anymore. She grew up with Peyton and she knew Peyton would always hold a special place in her heart.

Lucas kissed the top of her head. "You really are amazing you know that?"

Only Brooke could start off furious at someone and come out feeling pity or wanting to help that person.

"Why thank you husband." Brooke looked up at Lucas. "I really am lucky to have you Lucas Scott."

"I'm the lucky one." Lucas kissed her. "And I like the sound of that. Husband." He repeated to himself.

"Oh really husband?" Brooke whispered against Lucas' lips.

"Ew! Get a room." Juliet cried out to her parents.

Brooke and Lucas laughed at their daughter. Juliet stood with Jamie; both kids had their faces frowned up at the sight of Brooke and Lucas being affectionate.

"One day you two will love on your husband or wife the same way!" Brooke said.

Jamie shook his head once. "No way! Kissing girls is gross."

"Oh trust me! You're gonna like it one day and when that day comes I'm gonna remind you of this day!" Lucas picked up his nephew and spun him around.

"I don't think we want to remember this!" Juliet said with a laugh.

"Oh really?" Brooke began to tickle her daughter. "I don't ever want to forget a day with you!"

The family played outside and to people walking by they were the model family. Everyone had smiles on their faces and giggles slipping from their thin lips. It was truly the perfect setting for happily ever after. The people walking by couldn't help but smile at the sight of the happy family. They looked meant to be.


	20. Chapter 20

Peyton stood in the middle of her new bedroom at Brooke's beach home. In her hands were the pictures Brooke gave her during their confrontation. Peyton held the picture of her and Lucas over a burning candle. She watched the picture burned and she dropped it into a waste basket next to her. She looked at the next picture and began to tear down the middle; tearing Brooke out of the picture. Peyton put Lucas' side of the picture and her side of the picture together. She smiled and stored them together in her night stand.

Several weeks past; Peyton still stayed in Brooke's home as a house guest. Brooke, Lucas, and Juliet stayed in Lucas' home to avoid any confrontation or arguments between Lucas and Peyton. Brooke still went to check in on Peyton whenever she had free time. The two women were close again.

"I wish you didn't have to go!" Brooke pouted up at Lucas from their bed.

Lucas stood with his suitcase on the bed. He was packing for a week long book tour through California. Brooke had to prepare her store for the store's opening and Juliet had school so neither girl could join him on the road.

"I will be back before you know it!" Lucas leaned down and kissed his fiancée. "And when we get back we'll celebrate your store opening and we'll start planning the wedding."

Brooke smiled wide. "I like the sound of that! The sooner I become Mrs. Brooke Davis- Scott the better." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "But do you really have to go?"

Lucas laughed and ran his fingers through Brooke's auburn curls. "Yes I'm sorry! I wish I could stay home with you and Juliet but this book needs publicity so it will bring attention to my upcoming movie."

Brooke playfully frowned. "Ugh, stupid movie."

Lucas laughed. "That's not what you said when Julian offered you the costume designer job."

Brooke laughed. "Well that was different."

"How?" Lucas raised an eyebrow to Brooke.

Before Brooke could answer Juliet raced into her parent's bedroom. She plopped herself down onto their bed next to her mother.

"Daddy I don't want you to go!" Juliet began to pout.

Brooke and Lucas laughed in unison. Lucas let go of Brooke and wrapped his arms around his five year old daughter.

"Like I told your mom, I will be back before you know it!" Lucas kissed the top of Juliet's head.

Juliet hugged her father. "I'm still gonna miss you."

Lucas chuckled, "I'll miss you too silly girl."

Brooke and Juliet rode to the airport with Lucas and saw him off to California. They were sad to see him walk away but they were both very proud of him for achieving his dreams.

xoxo

Lucas' flight to California was only a few hours long. He slept most of the flight and went over notes for the movie he was helping produce. He arrived in California mid-day and he went straight to his hotel. He checked in and put his bags in his room before exploring the hotel. He knew he'd spend most of his time in his room when he wasn't signing books. He couldn't have fun without his two ladies, Brooke and Juliet.

"Good evening sir. May I offer you a drink?" A black haired, muscular bartender asked Lucas.

Lucas stumbled upon the hotel's bar. He wasn't a big drinker but he figured he should have one as a celebration of getting his book published.

"Sure!" Lucas scanned the bar for something to drink. "A beer will be fine."

"I'll have a beer as well." A familiar voice came from behind Lucas.

Out of curiosity Lucas turned his head and standing behind him was Peyton. Lucas couldn't help but roll his eyes and sigh heavily.

"What are you doing here Peyton?" Lucas asked angrily.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing." Peyton smiled from ear to ear. "I'm here to assistant my client Mia on a few shows she has out here."

Peyton pointed to a skinny girl sitting on the further end of the bar. Mia had her head down with a hood covering her raven colored locks and purple headphones stuck in her ears attached to a silver iPod.

Lucas examined the girl and turned back to Peyton.

"I promise I'm not here to stalk you!" Peyton said with a laugh.

Lucas lightened up when he got his beer. He gulped it all down within in minutes.

"I'll have a scotch next!" Lucas waved over the bartender.

He wasn't going to get through this week with Peyton unless he had a few drinks in his system.

xoxo

"Hey Tutor Mom!" Brooke greeted Haley.

Haley had gotten a job as a teacher at the old high school. Haley had been substituting for a few months but was now ready to take it on as a full time job.

"Hey Brooke!" Haley looked up from the papers lying on her desk. "What are you doing here?"

Brooke smiled at Haley. "Okay well don't freak but I think I might be pregnant?"

Haley's brown eyes widened, "You're what?"

Brooke laughed a breathless laugh. "Well I took a test and it came back positive but you know how tricky those things are! I want to go to the doctor and make sure."

Haley got up from her chair behind her desk and hugged her friend. "Well congrats!"

Brooke smiled. "Will you come with me to my doctor's appointment?"

Haley frowned. "I'm sorry Brooke, I can't! I have to host detention today."

Brooke's face matched Haley's, they were both frowning. "Well it's okay! I'll just go by myself."

"Where is Peyton?" Haley asked.

Brooke gave her shoulders a gentle shrug. "A business trip somewhere."

Brooke left the high school and drove to the doctor's appointment by herself. She gave herself to all of her friend's whole heartedly but she wished sometimes they had her back like she had theirs. She was sick of going through things by herself.

xoxo

"So we got the test results back." Brooke's doctor entered the cold examine room.

Brooke sat nervously on the doctor's table wearing a hospital gown.

"You're not pregnant Brooke. I'm sorry." The doctor said softly.

Brooke felt herself tearing up. The doctor was not finished yet.

"We found a few odd things in the conclusions of the tests we ran on your blood." The doctor began.

"What is it?" Brooke questioned.

"I don't think you'll be very likely to get pregnant. At least not as easily as anyone else." The doctor informed Brooke.

"But I have a child!" Brooke said confused.

The doctor continued. "We think some complications with your first child's birth may have scarred your tissue. Scarred tissue makes its difficult sometimes impossible for a woman to get pregnant."

Brooke felt the wind get knocked out of her. She remembered having a difficult labor with Juliet. Juliet was breached and had to be removed from Brooke immediately. Brooke stood up from the doctor's table but her knees gave out under her.

"Brooke!" The doctor caught her. "I'm so sorry Miss Davis."


	21. Chapter 21

"Hey Luke call me back when you get this. I'm on my way to California." Brooke left this voicemail on Lucas' phone.

Brooke had been trying to reach Lucas for several hours but he wasn't picking up. She didn't have Lindsay's number so she couldn't contact him through her. She was going through a rough time dealing with the news the doctor gave her about her bearing children. She needed Lucas and she needed him right now.

"Alright thank you again Hales for watching her for me!" Brooke's sad smile reappeared on her face.

Haley shook her head, "It's never a problem. I'm glad I could help."

Brooke nodded once and turned to her daughter. "Momma will be back soon I promise."

Juliet began to cry. "But momma I wanna go with you."

Brooke smiled and hugged her daughter. "I know sweetie but you have school. Jamie will be here for you to play with everyday and so will your Aunt Haley and Uncle Nathan."

Jamie approached his cousin with a tissue. "Yeah we're all here! It'll be fun."

Juliet smiled wide and wiped her tears. "Okay I like fun!"

Brooke laughed and stood up again. "Okay I should be back in about two days!"

"Bye Brooke!" Haley and Nathan hugged Brooke.

"Bye momma." Juliet got in another hug and a kiss from her mom.

"Bye Aunt Brooke." Jamie hugged his aunt.

Brooke walked out of the house feeling extremely loved. She loved her family and was so lucky to have a family outside of her dysfunctional family.

xoxo

Lucas stood up from his bar stool. He'd been sitting at the bar alone for several hours. Peyton left after an hour to go oversee the set up for Mia's first showing in California. Lucas stayed behind and started on the script for his movie.

He checked his phone and saw almost a dozen missed calls from Brooke. "Shit!" Lucas listened to the voicemail Brooke left him.

A smile crept onto his face but then disappeared. _"Had she found out about Peyton being here? Had she come here to fight Peyton once and for all?"_ All of these thoughts raced through Lucas' head.

He checked the time on the voicemail. It was left four hours ago. Brooke was probably already in California by now. Lucas decided to wait out Brooke's arrival in the lobby. He decided to be happy that she'd decided to surprise him.

"Lucas Scott?" Lucas heard his name being called.

He turned and in his seat and saw Brooke standing near the entrance to the hotel. He smiled from ear to ear and ran over to his fiancée.

"Hey beautiful!" Lucas hugged Brooke and kissed her several times. "What made you decide to come here after all?"

Brooke gave her shoulders a soft shrug. "I just missed you and I needed to feel your arms wrapped around me." She smiled.

Lucas wrapped his arms around Brooke and picked her up. "Well I'm free all night so we are going to cuddle and talk and cuddle all night."

The couple laughed together as Lucas carried Brooke up to his room. He carried her over the threshold and sat her back down.

"You were supposed to save that for our wedding night!" Brooke cried out, dropping her bag on the floor.

Lucas laughed and looked back at the door. "Well I needed practice."

Brooke laughed and plopped down onto the bed. She had been sad about the doctor's news but the moment she saw Lucas her heart was light and free again. She couldn't help but be happy about the sight of her fiancé racing towards her with a huge smile. But the thought of having to tell him about the doctor's visit made her sad all over again.

"Is it cuddle time already?" Lucas fell down on the bed beside Brooke.

Brooke rolled onto her side so she was facing Lucas. "I love you."

Lucas smiled and closed his eyes. "It still makes my heart skip a beat when you say that."

Brooke smiled, "Really?"

Lucas nodded and grabbed Brooke's hand to place on his chest. "You make my heart go crazy!"

Brooke rested her hand on Lucas' heart. "You may have a heart condition but your heart is not flawed Lucas Scott."

Lucas smiled and kissed Brooke. "Thank you pretty girl."

"I have something to tell you." Both Lucas and Brooke said in unison.

Brooke eyed Lucas. "What do you have to tell me?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Lucas replied.

"Well go ahead." Brooke sat up in the bed.

Lucas laughed and shook his head. "Peyton is here."

Brooke's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"I was at the bar and she just appeared! She says she is here on business." Lucas shrugged.

"Oh well it's just her business trip she told me about." Brooke fell back onto the bed.

"Now what is it you wanted to tell me?" Lucas questioned.

Brooke bit her lip and lied her head on his chest. "I went to the doctor's office."

Lucas looked down at Brooke. "Why?"

A knock sounded off against the hotel room's door. Lucas and Brooke both sat up. Lucas stood up and answered the door. On the other side of the door stood Peyton with two bottles of wine in her hand.

"What are you doing here Peyton?" Lucas stood in the doorway with the door only half way opened.

Peyton raised the two bottles of wine in her hands. "I thought since we were both in California alone we could both order room service and celebrate our accomplishments with these bottles of wine."

"I thought you came here with Mia?" Lucas questioned.

Peyton laughed. "She is only eighteen! She can't drink and she'd rather hole up in her room and watch TV!"

"Luke who is at the door?" Brooke called out from the bedroom.

Peyton and Lucas both looked at one another. A look of shock came over Peyton's face.

"It's just Peyton." Lucas answered.

Brooke came to the door despite the fact that she'd changed into her lacy black robe.

"Oh hey Peyton!" Brooke wrapped her arms around Lucas. "What are you doing here?"

Peyton looked from Lucas to Brooke then back again. "Just here to offer Lucas up a celebration for getting his book published and the new movie deal."

"Oh sorry I stood in the way of your plans." Brooke rested her head on Lucas' shoulder.

"Julian is in town, maybe you could celebrate with him!" Lucas suggested. "This is his first movie too! He has never produced a movie before only directed."

Peyton nodded and smiled, "I guess I'll give him a call."

"Well we'll see you later Peyton!" Brooke took the door out of Lucas' hand and shut it.

Although the girls were friends again Brooke still didn't trust Peyton with Lucas. Brooke knew feelings didn't go away overnight and neither did obsessions. Peyton had to learn on her own that Lucas didn't want her and that he'd moved on. Maybe she'd fall solace in Julian Baker?


	22. Chapter 22

Peyton watched the hotel room door shut in her face. She fought the urge to drop the glass bottles of wine on the floor in front of her and watch the red liquid spread across the carpet. The idea brought a wicked smile to her face. But as she loosened her grip on the bottles she heard a familiar voice calling out her name from down the hallway.

"Peyton Sawyer!" Julian Baker was in California to get funding for the movie he was doing on Lucas Scott's book An Unkindness of Ravens. "Peyton Sawyer back in California. This is a sight to see!"

Peyton tightened her grip back on the bottles and wiped the wicked grin from her lips. "Julian Baker!" She greeted him with a warm smile.

"What are you doing here?" Julian stopped in front of Peyton.

"I'm here helping a client of mine start off her music career here in California." Peyton explained. "What about you?"

Julian nodded, "I'm here for the movie I'm doing with Lucas Scott. We need a few things done before we can proceed with actually filming the movie." He took in the sight of his ex-girlfriend. Julian had fallen in love with Peyton but she'd broke his heart and left him after he confronted her about her feelings for Lucas. When he found out there was interest in making the book written mostly about Peyton into a movie; he came back to Tree Hill to win her back. But Julian found out a lot more about Peyton that just confused him.

"You have any plans for the night?"Julian asked Peyton.

Peyton looked at Lucas' hotel room door and turned her attention back to Julian. "Nope no plans at all!"

Julian smiled wide. "Good then we could put some good use to those huge bottles of red wine in your hand."

xoxo

Lucas and Brooke spent the night making love after Peyton's departure from Lucas' room. Brooke had temporarily forgotten about the bad news she had gotten from the doctor. Brooke woke up the next morning to a note Lucas left on his pillow for her.

_"Sorry I didn't want to wake you. You looked way too beautiful and too much at peace for me to wake you. I am doing the book signing at the bookstore down the street. I hope you can take time from your shopping and constantly calling home to check on Juliet to come and have lunch with me!"_ The note was signed with Lucas' name.

Brooke smiled and refolded the note, placing it gently back onto his pillow. _"Oh I am so lucky!"_ She thought to herself.

She stretched out and felt parts of her body tense up from the night before. The soreness in her body was good tension. Brooke showered quickly and called to check in on Juliet, who was already in school. Brooke got dressed and decided to shop for souvenirs for everyone back home. On her way out of the hotel Brooke got Peyton's room number from the desk clerk.

_"I'll check in on her later. She why she thought it was okay to visit Lucas alone in his hotel room with two bottles of wine." _Brooke thought to herself as she slid the room number into her black, studded suede designer clutch purse.

Brooke spent the morning shopping at the same small boutiques she used to regularly visit when she lived in California. Brooke was too pregnant at the time to fit into any of the vintage clothing so she'd only bought the vintage items the small stores also sold.

"Brooke Davis?" Brooke turned when she heard her name being called. Walking towards her was Julian Baker.

Brooke smiled, "Well someone looks mighty happy!" Brooke mentioned the glow coming from Julian's skin and the wide grin on his face.

Julian looked down at his bare arms and laughed. "It's just superhot in LA."

Brooke nodded slowly. "Yeah that's why you're glowing and smiling at the same time."

Julian laughed and put his hands up as to surrender to Brooke. "Okay. Okay. I may or may not have spent the night with a someone special."

Brooke's eyebrows shot up. "A special someone?"

Julian frowned. "A woman Brooke!"

Brooke laughed. "Well are you going to tell me who she was or is?"

"Nope!" Julian laughed. "By any chance have you seen Peyton anywhere?"

Brooke's chocolate brown eyes widened. "Peyton? Peyton is the special someone?"

"I never kiss and tell Brooke Davis." Julian laughed, "I'll just find her myself. See you back in Tree Hill Miss Davis." He left Brooke standing on the sideway alone.

Brooke was happy that Peyton was seemingly moving on. Peyton was finally letting someone in other than Lucas. Brooke walked to the bookstore Lucas was hosting his book signing in with a smile on her face. Hopefully her troubles with Peyton and Lucas were over.

xoxo

Brooke walked into the almost empty book store. She found Lucas sitting behind a large display of books. There were only three people left in line waiting to get their books signed. She grabbed a book from Lucas' stack of books and stood at the end of the line.

"Well Mr. Scott I am so glad I finally get to meet you! I've been wanting you to sign something of mine and it starts with a b but it isn't my book." Brooke was hiding her face behind the book as she tried not to laugh.

"Oh sorry I only sign books!" Lucas replied sternly.

She put the book down and smiled at her fiancée. Lucas laughed when he saw it was Brooke hiding behind the book.

"But for you I'd sign anything. What is it you'd like me to sign?" Lucas removed the lid from his black sharpie.

Brooke leaned over the table he was sitting behind. "It starts with a b."

Brooke began but someone standing behind her cleared their throat at the couple. Brooke stood up straight and fixed her blouse. She turned and found Lucas' publicist Lindsay standing behind her with her arms crossed.

"Hey Lindsay!" Lucas tried not to laugh at the situation.

Lindsay laughed and shook her head, "Sorry for interrupting whatever I was interrupting but I came to let Lucas off the hook. You are free to go."

Lucas and Brooke both laughed. "I'm so sorry you had to see that!" Brooke apologized.

Lindsay shook her head. "None sense it's cute. I'm glad you two are together and getting married!"

Brooke raised both eyebrows to Lindsay. "You know about the wedding?"

Lindsay nodded slowly. "Yeah Luke told me today before the book signing. I'm glad he did. Congrats!"

Brooke smiled and sighed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for being happy for us!"

Lindsay gave her shoulders a stiff shrug, "You're welcome! It's easier when I see how happy you two are. And how happy I am now."

Brooke put her hands on her hips. "You got a new man?"

Lindsay laughed, "Yeah. You know him. I'm dating Julian Baker!"

Brooke's mouth almost dropped to the floor but she managed the keep a straight face. "I saw Julian a few minutes ago and he was glowing…"

Lindsay interrupted Brooke. "Julian is in town? I thought he left last night!"

Brooke looked back at Lucas and Lucas shrugged his shoulders. She turned her attention back to Lindsay but tried not to look her in the eyes. This confirmed the fact that Julian and Peyton had been together last night.

_"That girl sure knows how to mess up a relationship."_ Brooke thought to herself with a shake of her head.


	23. Chapter 23

"Hello future wife to be." Lucas held a dozen red roses in his hands for Brooke.

Brooke turned away from window shopping and smiled at the sight of Lucas carrying red roses for her.

"Well hello husband." Brooke smiled warmly.

Lucas leaned down and kissed Brooke affectionately. He placed the red roses into Brooke's petite arms.

"I hope you like them." Lucas smiled widely. "They remind me of you; smells good and looks pretty." He playfully teased her.

Brooke laughed and shook her head, "I cannot even believe you just said that!" She laughed again.

Lucas shrugged, "So what were you looking at?"

Brooke nodded towards a store's window. "I was thinking about opening up my store in a few days! I'm so excited but I'm so nervous. This will be my first store that I've actually opened and ran by myself; no Victoria and it's so nerve wrecking."

Lucas caressed Brooke's cheek with his thumb and smiled. "You are going to do great. Brooke Davis is going to change the world someday…"

"And she doesn't even know." Brooke finished his sentence.

Lucas' smile widened. "You read the book?"

Brooke nudged him in his side, "Of course I read it! You wrote it so I read it."

Lucas laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "I really do love you Brooke Davis."

"I really do love you too husband." Brooke whispered against his lips.

It made Lucas happy to see Brooke standing by his side supporting him. She read his book and showed up to his book signing. She put her store opening in someone else's hands to come and support him. He knew he'd made the right decision with Brooke. She was amazing and had a heart of gold.

xoxo

Peyton peeked her head out of her hotel room. She looked up and down her hallway and shut her door again.

"No one is out there!" Peyton walked back into the bedroom area of her room.

Julian Baker lied stretched out on her bed wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. Julian received a sketchy voice mail from his girlfriend Lindsay asking about him still being in town and about him being spotted with an attractive woman on his arm.

"Okay good!" Julian sat up and motioned for Peyton to come sit with him.

"What are you so afraid of?" Peyton remained standing with her arms crossed across her chest.

"I think she knows I'm here with you." Julian pulled Peyton close to him.

"So?" Peyton smirked.

Julian's eyes widened, "So?"

Peyton laughed at Julian's shocked facial expression. "Yeah! So? You two aren't serious or anything so us being here together shouldn't be a big thing."

Julian began to nod slowly. "It isn't except I know she will take it hard and I still have to go through her to her firm. Her firm is helping fund the movie."

Peyton wrapped her arms around Julian's neck. "So you need to pretend to be with her in order to get your movie made?"

"Yup that sounds just about right!" Julian laughed, "It sounds worse than it is."

Peyton nodded in agreement. "Yeah it does!" She laughed and kissed him, "But I want to make sure this is just for work because I want to be your one and only again."

A smile formed on Julian's thin pink lips. "Oh yeah? So this means you and Lucas are done?"

Peyton's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Lucas' name. She still loved him but she was starting to see that she couldn't have him anymore and Julian was the one thing that came close to having Lucas. Julian and Lucas had a lot of similar qualities and morals.

"Me and Lucas are so over with! I'm happy for him and Brooke." Peyton lied with a fake smile upon her face.

This was enough for Julian to believe her. "Okay well it's me and you Peyton!" Julian said with a nod.

"Yeah! Me, you, and Lindsay." Peyton said with a laugh.

xoxo

"I'll be right back with your drinks." The waitress said to Lucas and Brooke.

After walking around LA shopping, Lucas and Brooke came back to the hotel for dinner. They were going to settle on room service but Lucas wanted to treat Brooke to a nice dinner for being so supportive of him and his dreams.

"I'm glad we decided to visit this little restaurant down here!" Brooke said as she looked around.

The restaurant was dark with candles sitting in the middle each table to keep the space lite but not too lite. The silky white table clothes simmer in the candle light and the sparkles danced if the table was bumped against. The smell of wine was in the air.

Lucas nodded in agreement. "Me too! It's actually pretty nice. I thought the firm would only pay for me to stay in old dusty motels."

Brooke bit her lip. "I sorta kinda paid for you to stay here!"

"You what?" Lucas asked.

"Well they were going to put you in this nasty motel in this super dangerous neighborhood and my man isn't staying in anything nasty or dangerous so I upgraded you." Brooke smiled nervously. "Are you mad?"

Lucas laughed and grabbed Brooke's hand. "Mad? Are you kidding?! Look at where we're having dinner."

The couple laughed in unison. But Brooke needed to tell Lucas about the news she received from the doctor. It was weighing heavily on her heart.

"You know that thing about me going to the doctor?" Brooke asked.

Lucas nodded slowly and Brooke continued.

"Well I thought I was pregnant…" Brooke trailed off.

Lucas' eyebrows shot up his forehead and he opened his mouth to say something but Brooke stopped him.

"I'm not pregnant." She continued. "They said I might never be pregnant again. They said I'd have to really, really try hard to get pregnant and even that might not work." Brooke bit her lip as she waited for Lucas' response to her news.

Lucas just continued to nod slowly as he took in what he just heard. _"No kids?"_ He thought to himself. "Well Brooke we have Juliet!" He finally responded. "I'm happy with just her but one day when we want to have more we can."

Brooke sighed a heavy sigh of relief at Lucas' reaction. "You wouldn't mind adopting?"

Lucas shook his head. "I wouldn't mind. Any child is family as long as that child raised by you and me together. We could also look into surrogates and fertility treatments. Whatever it takes."

Brooke smiled and her heart felt so happy again. "Lucas Scott you really are amazing!" She felt tears filling to the brims of her eyes.

Lucas laughed and leaned over the table to kiss Brooke, "You're an amazing woman to go through all of this alone and come out even stronger. But next time I want to be there for you! I don't want you having to go through this alone Brooke."

Brooke felt her tears starting to race down her face. "Thank you!"

Lucas waved his hand and laughed, "Agh no problem."

Brooke laughed and squeezed Lucas' hand gently. She fell in love with him all over again in that moment. Looking at him now he had so much grace in dealing with such a difficult situation. She was truly lucky to have such an amazing and caring man as her fiancé.


	24. Chapter 24

"Momma!" Juliet squealed as she saw her mother walking towards her in the airport. "Daddy!" She squealed again when she saw her father walking behind her mother.

Haley, Nathan, and Jamie drove with Juliet to surprise Brooke and Lucas at the airport. Brooke was coming home to finish preparing for her store's opening and Lucas' book tour wasn't doing very well so he was able to end it early.

"Hey baby girl!" Brooke dropped her carry-on bag and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Oh I miss you so much."

Lucas allowed for Brooke and Juliet to have their moment before he stepped in to greet his daughter. Although the two only found out about each other this fall they had gotten very close very fast. Lucas couldn't imagine his life without Brooke or Juliet.

"Hey, I missed you more!" Lucas said with a chuckle as he held his arms opened wide for Juliet to hug him.

Juliet ran into her father's arms. "I missed you both."

"Peyton?" Haley saw Peyton coming from the direction Brooke and Lucas had just come from.

Peyton was walking beside Julian Baker. Peyton had a bright and wide smile across her face. Julian looked as if he was trying to hard to look cool.

_"She doesn't look like she's going through an annulment."_ All the adults thought as they watched Peyton gracefully approach the group with Julian.

"Hey pretty!" Peyton greeted Juliet with a tight hug.

Brooke looked at Lucas, who just shrugged.

"You look mighty happy!" Brooke pointed out about Peyton's happy demeanor.

Peyton laughed and nodded once, "I am happy!" She glanced over at Julian who was greeting Haley and Nathan. "Well I gotta get going. I gotta wake up early to shop for a dress to wear to your party." She winked in Brooke's direction and walked off.

Julian watched Peyton walked off from the group. "I better go too! I got a lot of stuff to do tomorrow." Julian counted to ten in his head before following Peyton out of the airport. He didn't want it to be obvious that they were together.

"Oh they are so hooking up!" Haley said with a laugh.

Everyone laughed at Haley's observation. Everyone was all thinking the same thing.

"What's hooking up?" Jamie and Juliet both asked in unison.

"Something only adults should know about!" Nathan answered the two small children as they all left the airport.

"I wanna grow up! Grown-ups get to do so much." Juliet said.

Brooke laughed and shook her head, "Don't grow up too fast. Being young is fun! Trust me, growing up isn't always as fun as it seems!"

xoxo

"Brooke! Brooke. Brooke?" Brooke heard her name being called from several different directions. She opened her eyes and sat up from her lying position on her new white leather couch in her new store.

"What?" Brooke cried out. "For heaven's sake what is it?"

Millicent frowned to keep from laughing at her boss' reaction. "I was just trying to tell you that the goodie bags are all finished."

"Oh. Good." Brooke smoothed her hand over her straight side bangs. "What else is done?"

Millicent looked down at her list. "The DJ has his list of songs all ready and set to play for tonight. The food is on its way right in time for the party's start time. And you and Juliet's dresses have been delivered! They're in the back now."

Brooke's face lite up. "I wanna see them." She slipped her black pumps back onto her feet and raced to the back to take a peek at her and her daughter's dresses. Originally she was going to make the dresses she'd designed for her and Juliet but she made an unexpected visit to California.

Two black dress bags were hanging next to Brooke's new dark brown wooden computer desk in the back room. Brooke stood back and examined the bags intently before finally choosing one to unzip first. She unzipped the bag on the left and it revealed her dress. Brooke's dress was a purple strapless cocktail gown. The sweetheart neckline and the faint leopard print were perfect.

"Is it how you designed it?" Millicent asked from the doorway.

Brooke nodded and a smile formed on her lips. "It's exactly how I drew it! It's exactly how I would have made it myself."

She quickly unzipped Juliet's dress bag. The little girl's dress was a lacy black dress with a purple bow around the waist.

"That is so adorable!" Millicent exclaimed. "You really should do a children's line."

Brooke laughed, "I know right?!"

xoxo

"Okay daddy you can look now!" Juliet called out to her father.

Brooke and Juliet had gotten dressed in the a dress room in the back of Brooke's store. Lucas came already dressed in a white button down and gray slacks.

Lucas laughed and walked into the room with his eyes covered. "Okay I'm coming in!" He dropped his hand from his eyes and smiled from ear to ear.

"How do we look?" Juliet asked.

"Beautiful. Gorgeous!" Lucas picked up his daughter and twirled her around. "But you always look beautiful and gorgeous."

Juliet laughed and put her tiny hands on her cheeks. "Thanks daddy!"

Lucas laughed and put his daughter back down. "You're welcome pretty girl. Jamie is out front."

"Jamie!" Juliet squealed and raced from the back room to meet up with her cousin.

"Hey, no running!" Brooke called after her little girl.

She finished putting on her earrings and she stepped away from the floor length mirror.

"Yes?" Brooke asked Lucas as she looked at him through the mirror.

Lucas nodded once and smiled, "You look amazing Brooke!"

Brooke smiled and twirled on her heel to face him. "Why thank you handsome?!" She kissed him. "You don't look too bad yourself!"

"Oh yeah?" Lucas wrapped his arms around Brooke's waist.

"Oh yeah! I can't to see you…" Brooke was whispering against Lucas when Peyton walked in.

"Brooke!" Peyton looked up from her bracelets and saw Lucas and Brooke cuddling. "Oh I'm sorry." She turned to leave them alone. Her heart dropped to her stomach at the sight of them two being so happy together.

"No it's fine! What is it Peyton?" Brooke pulled away from Lucas but gave him another kiss before he left the two women alone in the back room.

"I just came back here to tell you how amazing the store looks!" Peyton hugged her friend. "I'm proud of you B. Davis!"

Brooke smiled widely. "Really?"

Peyton nodded once. "Yeah! You got everything you've ever wanted. You've dreamt of this day since you were Juliet's age."

Brooke smiled sadly, "It still feels like a dream! I just feel so lucky. I'm holding my breath because I'm too afraid my life is too perfect that something is bound to mess it up."

Peyton laughed. "Brooke, just be happy! You deserve it. Enjoy all of this! Nothing is going to mess anything up for you, I promise."

She said this to convince herself more than to convince Brooke. Peyton really didn't want to mess things up for Brooke and Lucas but she still loved Lucas. She was trying her best to just move on so her feelings would disappear but it was still hard to see them together.

Peyton and Brooke linked arms together. The two woman walked out of the back dressing room Brooke had added to the boutique.

"I know about you and Julian." Brooke whispered as the two women made it closer to the front of the store.

Peyton stopped in her tracks and dropped Brooke's arm as she watched her best friend. "You know?"

Brooke just nodded slowly, "Lindsay!" She squealed at the appearance of Lucas' publicist. "You came?"

Peyton's eyes widened. Brooke invited Lindsay to her store opening after suspecting Peyton and Julian were sneaking around. Brooke thought Lindsay deserved to see it with her own eyes. Someone needed to knock Peyton down a few notches.


	25. Chapter 25

"Lindsay!" Brooke hugged Lucas' publicist.

Despite the fact that Lindsay was Lucas' ex-girlfriend, Brooke wasn't threatened by Lindsay. Lindsay genuinely wanted to see Lucas and Brooke happy together because Lindsay truly had love for Lucas. Unlike Peyton who seem to want Lucas all to herself.

"Brooke!" Lindsay hugged Brooke lightly and pulled back to examine Brooke's dress. "Now that dress is gorgeous. Please tell me you sell that here!"

Brooke laughed and glanced down at her purple leopard print creation, "It will be here soon! I'm glad you came to support me."

Lindsay casually waved her hand in the air. "Of course I came! I love Clothes over Bros!"

Peyton stood behind Brooke and Lindsay. She nervously watched the two women interact with one another.

"_I can't believe Brooke invited her here when she knows about me and Julian!"_ Peyton thought to herself as her eyes darted back and forth between both women.

Brooke turned to Peyton. She tried not to laugh at the nervous expression written all over Peyton's face.

"Have you met Peyton?" Brooke asked Lindsay as she pulled Peyton closer to her side.

Lindsay slowly shook her head and examined the petite auburn haired woman standing in front of her.

Lindsay hadn't officially met Peyton but she did catch Peyton and Lucas embrace in a lip lock when Peyton first arrived back into town. Lindsay never told Lucas that she knew about the kiss. She was hoping he'd tell her but she eventually just forgot until now because Brooke's arrival back into Tree Hill came soon after the shocking kiss. Lindsay knew in her gut that it was over between her and Lucas when Brooke came back into town.

"I don't think we've officially met." Lindsay pursed her lips at Peyton. "It's nice to finally meet you Peyton. Last time I saw you, you'd just gotten back into Tree Hill and you were making out with Lucas in Tric in that dusty old office space."

Peyton's mouth dropped open. She didn't know anyone had seen them that day. That kiss was after Lucas and Peyton slept together. Lucas considered it a goodbye kiss but Peyton saw it as Lucas not wanting to let go.

"What?" Brooke cried out.

All three women scanned the room for Lucas. Peyton spotted him first; he was standing off to the side of the store chatting with his old friend, Mouth.

"If you'll excuse me!" Peyton scurried off toward Lucas to warn him.

Brooke was too in shock to stop Peyton from walking over to Lucas so she just stood there with her eyes opened wide.

"Luke can I talk to you for a second?" Peyton whispered into his ear.

Lucas looked up from his glass of sparkling water. "I'm kind of busy Peyton."

"I'll leave you two alone." Mouth left Peyton with Lucas despite Lucas' obvious shake of the head.

"Luke it's about Brooke and Lindsay! Please push your pity little grudge out of the way and just listen." Peyton whispered loudly to Lucas.

Lucas scanned the room and found Brooke and Lindsay standing together talking fast. His stomach dropped to the pit of his belly. "What is it?"

A sigh of relief escaped Peyton's thin lips. "They know about us hooking up when I first got back into town. Lindsay just brought it up to Brooke."

Lucas almost dropped his glass of sparkling water. He managed to grab a hold of the glass again with spilling any liquid on the white marble floors.

"What?" Lucas questioned.

Peyton nodded slowly. "Lindsay seemed to have forgotten about it until she saw me. She probably never got a chance to confront you about it because Brooke came into town soon after."

Lucas felt numb as he watched his fiancée from across the room. Brooke had moved on from talking to Lindsay and she was now making her rounds to her guests. She introduced everyone to her clothing line and new store, group by group.

"Brooke doesn't seem bothered by it." Lucas said quietly.

Peyton followed Lucas' gaze to Brooke. "You know Brooke! There is always a quiet before the storm."

Lucas looked at Peyton and locked his stunned gaze on her. "This is all your fault Peyton."

Peyton laughed in disbelief. "Yeah because I forced you to kiss me and have sex with me."

Lucas shook his head and left Peyton standing alone in the corner of the store. He walked over to Brooke. "Hey Brooke!"

Brooke was walking away from another group who'd she convinced to buy one of her expensive pieces.

"Hey Luke." She sounded bored.

Lucas frowned and followed behind her. "What's the matter Brooke?"

Brooke turned sharply on her heel to face him. "Why didn't you mention to me that you and Peyton were kissing before I got back into town? This whole time I'm thinking this girl is crazy because she is holding onto a high school fling!"

Lucas looked around to see him anyone was watching them, and pulled Brooke into the back to avoid any of the cameras catching their argument.

"I didn't tell you because I didn't think it was important. It was a one-time mistake." Lucas admitted. "I hadn't seen Peyton is almost two years and I was vulnerable because she reminded me of losing you."

Brooke softened up toward Lucas after hearing this. "You still should have told me Luke!"

Lucas wrapped his arms around her waist. "I know I'm sorry. I promise no more secrets. I made it clear to Peyton that it was over."

Brooke smiled and kissed Lucas. "Well proposing to me is making it pretty clear."

The two laughed and joined the party holding hands. The cameras at the store were all turned on the couple as they made their first public debut. Lucas and Brooke kissed for the cameras and Brooke showed off her flashy engagement ring.

The end of the party was now near and it was time for Brooke to give her thank you speech. Lucas presented Brooke with a glass of champagne. He helped her up on a stand so she was standing above the crowd in the store.

"Thank you all for coming out and supporting me and my store! I wanted to open Clothes over Bros in my home town because this is where it all started. Back in high school with a heart broken teenage drawing sketches. I'm so happy to see you all here to support me." Brooke looked around the packed boutique. "I appreciate each and every one of you so much." She rested her hand on her heart. "I hope you had a great time tonight and got use got of all those fabulous outfits."

The room laughed together. "We'll be here all year!" Brooke laughed and held up her glass. "Cheers!" The crowd shouted cheers as everyone clinked glass with someone.

Lucas helped Brooke down and kissed her softly on her pink lips.

"Did I do okay?" Brooke asked her fiancée.

"You did great momma!" Juliet answered for her father.

Brooke laughed, "Thank you baby girl." She kissed the top of her daughter's dark curls.

Lucas agreed with Juliet. "You did amazing Brooke." He kissed Brooke again. "We're proud of you."

Brooke's petite hands flew up to her rosy cheeks. "That means the world to me just to hear you say those words!"

Lucas laughed and hugged both Brooke and Juliet. The family embraced in a bear hug.

"Brooke I'm going to head out now but you did amazing!" Lindsay gently touched Brooke's arms.

Brooke smiled and hugged her, "Thank you again for coming."

Lindsay shook her head, "Thank you for inviting me! I had fun and it was very eye opening." Lindsay eyed Peyton who was walking hesitantly toward Brooke and Lindsay.

Julian had been a no show but Peyton was seen texting Julian all night. Lindsay caught Peyton on several occasions sneaking off to dial Julian's number.

"Hey Brooke!" Peyton approached Brooke after Lindsay left the store. "I'm gonna go but I just wanted to say how proud of you I am."

Brooke smiled and pulled aside her friend. "Thank you Peyton."

Before Brooke could say anything else about Peyton interrupted her, "I'm sorry for the whole Lucas drama tonight. You shouldn't have found out like that."

Brooke shook her head, "No it's okay! Lucas cleared it up for me and declared how over all that stuff is between you and him."

Brooke's words hit Peyton like a ton of bricks. "Oh did he?" Peyton looked back at Lucas.

Brooke nodded once. "Yeah he did. Anyways I'll see you later. Thanks for coming!"

She left Peyton and went back to Lucas and Juliet. Peyton watched Brooke and Lucas kiss passionately then both lean down to kiss Juliet's round cheeks. The sight brought fire to Peyton's eyes. It wasn't over until she declared it over.


	26. Chapter 26

"I do!" Peyton stood beautifully cradling her baby bump in her petite hands.

"I do!" Lucas stood across from her at the altar.

Brooke shot up in her bed, gasping for air. She held her chest under her hands and settled her breathing down. She looked over at the empty spot in her bed. Brooke smiled sadly down at the spot Lucas was supposed to be.

"Good morning!" Lucas walked into the bedroom with two cups of coffee.

Brooke snapped out of her own thoughts, "Good morning handsome."

Several weeks had passed since Brooke's store opening. The store was slowly becoming a success after Brooke decided to design a more affordable line of clothing for the store.

Lucas had finished the script for the movie and was now in the process of looking for someone to help fund the movie since Lindsay's firm pulled out.

"You slept so long. You sure you feel okay?" Lucas handed Brooke her cup of coffee and place his hand on her forehead.

Brooke laughed, "Luke I'm fine! I promise."

"I think you should take a day off of working to get better." Lucas ignored her 'I'm fine,' as he sat down next to her in their bed.

Somehow Brooke managed to get Lucas to switch rooms with Juliet and now the couple was staying in his mother's old room. The room still freaked him out whenever he thought about whomever his mother had in the bed.

Brooke saw Lucas' struggle with the room so she offered to redecorate the room to erase any trace of Karen's old trysts. They had just gotten a new mattress and bed frame the day before.

"Luke is that your way of saying I work too much?" Brooke took a long sip of her coffee before sitting it down on their new brown night stand.

Lucas playfully looked around the room, "I don't know what you're talking about!"

Brooke laughed and pushed his arm, "Do you want me to stay home goof ball? I could always get Millie to run the store for the day. She has been begging me to let her do it."

A smile stretched across Lucas' face. "Well then let's show Millicent how much we believe in her by letting her run the store by herself."

"Okay let me call Millie and tell her I won't be in today." Brooke climbed out of bed and grabbed her phone to call her assistant and new best friend.

Lucas watched Brooke leave the bedroom and just as he was about to lay down his phone began to vibrate underneath his pillow. He checked the caller i.d and saw that is was Julian calling.

"Hello?" Lucas answered on the third ring.

"Hey man I have some bad news. Can I meet you at Tric in like half an hour?" Julian said through the other end of the phone.

Lucas hesitated to answer; he'd just told Brooke to stay home. He was hoping to get to spend some one on one time with Brooke before Juliet came from school.

"Sure I'll be there." Lucas hung up the phone frustrated.

Brooke walked back into the bedroom, "So Millie is excited…" She trailed off when she noticed the frustrated expression written all over Lucas' face. "Luke? What's wrong?"

She walked around the bed to his side and grabbed his face in her hands. Lucas looked at Brooke; he couldn't help but smile at how beautiful she looked in the morning with a fresh face.

"I have to go into Tric for a surprise meeting with Julian. He has some bad news for me." Lucas shrugged his shoulders.

Brooke smacked her lips together, "Aw! Luke I didn't want to spend my time off alone!"

Lucas frowned and pulled Brooke into his lap, "I know I'm so sorry. If I didn't have to go I wouldn't but Julian sounded worried and urgent."

Brooke sighed heavily and caressed Lucas' cheek. "It better be quick! Make this a quick meeting Lucas Scott so you can come home to me."

Lucas laughed and nodded once, "I promise to get the news and come straight home! I just want you to have a relaxing day today."

"I haven't had a day off in weeks!" Brooke kissed his lips. "Okay well the faster you get there the faster you'll get home!"

Lucas rolled over so Brooke so under him, "But I want my proper goodbye!"

Brooke squealed underneath him and giggled like a little girl.

xoxo

Lucas made it to Tric several minutes late. He'd got caught up at home with Brooke.

"_That woman can be so damn tempting."_ Lucas thought to himself as he walked inside the dark club.

Julian was sitting the bar with his girlfriend, Peyton. One week after Brooke's store opening, Julian and Peyton made their relationship public. Much the couple's surprise everyone already knew about them.

"Lucas!" Julian looked up from his coke to spot Lucas walking towards him and Peyton.

Peyton's head shot up and she left the bar quickly. Lucas hadn't heard one word from Peyton and it didn't bother him at all. Peyton only brought complications to his life.

"Hey!" Lucas scooted into the bar stool next to Julian. "What is so important that I had to rush over here and leave my fiancée?"

Julian raised an eyebrow and checked the time, "It's not like you really rushed."

Lucas shot Julian a look and Julian cleared his throat and continued.

"Well that's not important. What's important is that my dad was threatening to pull the movie if we didn't find a director." Julian reminded Lucas. "At least he was threatening but now he is being serious. He pulled the plug on the movie."

Lucas felt as if someone had hit him in the stomach. "He did what?"

"I'm sorry man!" Julian patted Lucas' shoulder. "I'm just as bummed as you are. I know how much you put into this movie."

Lucas felt his head slowly began to sink down below his shoulders. "I need a drink."

Julian nodded in agreement. "Me too! But this new bartender isn't all that great so I'd stick to something simple."

Behind the bar stood a young black haired kid. He wasn't very tall but his smile was always wide. He seemed to love his job despite being so bad at mixing drinks. He was working behind the bar to fill in for his friend whom was now in rehab.

Lucas walked around the bar and grabbed the new bottle of Jack Daniels.

"I can pour that for you Mr. Scott!" Chase, the new bartender, called out to Lucas.

Lucas held the bottle above his head, "Nope I got it."

Lucas took the bottle of Jack Daniels up to his office above the club. He normally wasn't a big drinker but Lucas had already spent his entire savings from his new book The Comet and from the club on this movie. He'd already bought filming equipment for Julian to film and he'd already paid the staff they hired for the movie but now he had no movie. He didn't want to bother Brooke with his problems because today was supposed to be her day of relaxing.

Several hours later Peyton entered Lucas' old dusty office. "Hey Luke."

Lucas looked up from the now empty bottle of Jack Daniels. "Go away Peyton."

Peyton held up another bottle of Jack Daniels, "I thought I'd come join your pity party."

Lucas eyed Peyton suspiciously but took the opened bottle. He drunk right from the bottle.

"What are you sad about anyways?" Lucas asked her.

Peyton sat down on Lucas' new black wooden desk, a gift from Brooke. "Julian is going back to California to film a movie and I can't join him because I have to be here for my company and he doesn't understand that so we're basically over."

Lucas tuned out Peyton's voice by drinking. After several long swigs from the bottle Lucas began to feel weird.

"I feel funny." Lucas began to slur his words.

Peyton caught him as he began to tumble forward. "Whoa okay well c'mon let's lie down here."

There was a small cot in the corner of Lucas' office. Before Brooke came back into town, Lucas spent many nights in his office. He'd only go home to sleep if his back had began to hurt from the old mattress.

Lucas complied with Peyton and lied down on the rusty old cot. His head began to spin when it hit the pillow. He put down the bottle and held his head in his hands. "Goodness!"

Peyton laughed at the look on Lucas' face. "I'm sorry Luke. You must have had too much to drink." But in reality Peyton spiked Lucas' bottle of Jack Daniels. She was regretting it and decided against doing anything with Lucas.

Peyton began to take off Lucas' shoes for him. When she began to take off his button down, Lucas pulled her closer.

"You look beautiful Peyton." Lucas whispered the slurred words into her ear.

She couldn't help but blush at his compliment. _"Finally something that isn't an insult."_ She thought to herself as she pulled Lucas' button down off of his shoulders. Peyton left on his white tank.

Lucas lied his head back onto the pillow once his shirt was off. His head began to spin again. When his head stopped spinning he saw Peyton leaning down into his face. Peyton's face was getting closer and closer. He was too drunk to react when Peyton kissed his lips.

"Peyton…" Lucas tried to stop her but she placed her index finger over his lips.

"Shh…" Peyton kissed him again, "I know you want this."

xoxo

Lucas woke up and he was lying in his own bed back at his house. He looked around and saw Brooke and Peyton talking at the end of the bed.

"I found him in his office passed out drunk." Peyton explained to Brooke.

Brooke looked back at Lucas and realized he was awake. "Luke! Oh Luke why did you do that to yourself?" She rushed over to his side. "You should have come to me."

Lucas tried to speak but his mouth was too dry so the only sound that came out was a croak.

"I'll go get you some water." Brooke scurried out of the room and into the kitchen.

"I'm just gonna go." Peyton called out to Brooke. As Peyton turned to leave the room, Lucas called out for her. She stopped and turned to him.

"I hate you." Lucas spat the words out at her and he plopped back down in the bed. He stared angrily at the orange walls of his mother's bedroom.

Peyton frowned and left his house, his words cutting into her.

Brooke walked back into the room with a tall glass of water. "Here drink this Luke."

She gently touched his hot forehead and frowned down at him.

"Why didn't you come to me Luke?" Brooke asked in a gentle tone.

Lucas took a long sip of water before answering her, "I just didn't want to disturb your peaceful day, and you've had enough bad news to deal with for a lifetime."

Brooke kissed his forehead, "I love you for that but next time just come to me Luke." She tussled her fingers through his wet hair.

"Why is my hair wet?" Lucas asked.

She laughed, "You had this god awful Mohawk! Peyton and I helped you wash it out. But of course we had to take pictures first."

Lucas groaned loudly and lied back down.

"Get some sleep!" Brooke laughed and turned off the lights before leaving the room.

Lucas couldn't go back to sleep. He struggled to sleep because he knew he would have to tell Brooke what happened between him and Peyton. Throughout the night whenever he closed his eyes he'd get a flashback of his tryst with Peyton. By the end of night Lucas had gotten no sleep and he just keep banging his head into his soft silky pillow.

He looked over at Brooke. She was sleeping peacefully with a soft grin upon her face. _"If only she knew."_ Lucas thought to himself as he got out of bed and went to turn on the TV in the living room. He knew he wouldn't get any sleep until he told her.


	27. Chapter 27

_"If it's destiny then this should be no problem for you. If Brooke's the one make the shot." Rachel's voice called out to a blind folded Lucas._

_Lucas threw the ball into the air and listened for the hoop's swish. The seconds the ball was air-borne felt like hours for Lucas as he continued to wait for the swish, he had to make this shot. When he heard it his heart skipped a beat; Brooke was the one for him. In that moment he felt it stronger than he ever had. Brooke Davis was the one for him but she was gone. She was gone because he'd broken her heart and she ran away from Tree Hill to escape all of the pain. His heart sank; he lost the love of his life because of a moment of lust._

Lucas woke up and he was lying on the couch. The hoop still swishing in his ears as he sat up and looked around. He walked into the bedroom and Brooke was gone. He raced into Juliet's room and Juliet was gone as well. It was Saturday and they'd promised Lucas a family day.

Brooke walked into the house and dropped her keys by the front door. "Lucas?"

When she woke up that morning Lucas was dead asleep on the couch. She'd tried to wake him but his snore would only deepen so took Juliet to Haley and Nathan's to play with her cousin Jamie.

The sound of Brooke's voice brought Lucas' heart back to life. He raced into the living room and saw his beautiful wife to be standing by the front door. Lucas ran over to her and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm so sorry Broke!" Lucas whispered to her.

Brooke pulled away from Lucas and searched his eyes, finding nothing but pain. "Why are you sorry?"

Lucas felt like dropping to his knees but he remained standing, "I slept with Peyton."Each word making the situation more real to him.

Brooke felt her knees give out underneath her. As she began to fall to the floor Lucas reached out and caught her.

"Brooke!" Lucas cried out, "Brooke!"

She fought his touch and grabbed her car keys from the side table by the front door.

"Brooke! I was drunk. I didn't know what I was doing?!" Lucas tried explaining to her. "I felt like I was watching a bad movie not actually doing it."

Brooke closed her eyes and clutched her chest with her hands. "How could you do that? How could you do that to me? You promised it was over between you two! You promised Luke!" Tears escaped Brooke's eyes and tumbled down her burning face.

At the sight of Brooke's pain Lucas began to cry, "I was drunk Brooke. I'm so sorry."

"When you are Brooke you are always more yourself than when you are sober so being drunk is not an excuse!" She argued.

Brooke turned away from him and ran out of the house; Lucas chased after her.

"Where are you going Brooke?" Lucas grabbed her arm to stop her from getting into the car. "I don't want you driving when you're so angry."

"I'm not angry Luke, I'm hurt!"She pulled away from his grip and pushed him away from her, "I can't look at you right now."

Brooke got into her car and sped off, leaving only the sound of her tires burning rubber behind her. Lucas watched Brooke drive off and he sank down into the grass. He felt as if he watched his future drive away from him.

xoxo

Brooke drove to the beach house she was renting out to Peyton. She used her spare key to get inside after her knocks went unanswered. Once inside Brooke discovered that Peyton was not home.

"Peyton!" Brooke called out as she walked back to Peyton's bedroom to make sure Peyton wasn't home.

The bedroom was neat and clean but there was still evidence of Peyton's existence in the room. Candles were still hot on the vanity and Peyton had her pencils and paper out on the bed for her drawings.

Brooke began to pack Peyton's things for her. While packing the things in Peyton's side table Brooke found a torn up picture of herself. She looked again and realized Peyton had torn her out of the group picture Brooke had given to her during their confrontation.

"That bitch!" Brooke thought out loud.

She continued to look through the side table and found the clutch that Peyton was wearing the night before when she dropped Lucas off at home. The clutch slipped from Brooke's grip and she was stunned when the contents of the purse fell onto the wooden floor of Peyton's bedroom. Inside where white pills in a zip lock bag. Brooke had seen these drugs before.

_"Lucas! He drugged her Lucas!" Brooke cried out as she cradled a drugged Peyton in her arms._

_Lucas, Brooke, and Peyton were sitting on the steps of a college dorm. Earlier in the night Brooke and Peyton had attended a college party and Brooke went her separate ways from Peyton when she spotted a cute boy. Peyton met a boy she liked but he drugged her. Brooke called Lucas for help and Lucas managed to free Peyton from the guy._

_"She'll be fine! He just used it to sedate her." Lucas said before darting back inside of the dorm to confront the guy who drugged her again._

Brooke snapped back to the present. "What the hell!" She held the pills up to the light and confirmed that they were the same drugs Peyton had once been drugged with.

She grabbed her cellphone and called Lucas but got no answer. She left him a voicemail, "Lucas I have to talk to you about Peyton!"

Brooke got up from her position on the floor and she was about to leave when Peyton walked into the bedroom.

"What are you doing here?" Peyton questioned Brooke.

Before Peyton could notice that she had the drugs Brooke pushed them into her purse.

"I came here to tell you to get your shit and get out." Brooke nodded toward a few boxes. "I even started packing for you but you can finish the rest."

Brooke roughly bumped Peyton with her shoulder as she walked past her out of the bedroom.

"What the hell was that for?" Peyton asked as she held her now bruised shoulder.

Brooke closed her eyes and shook her head, "That is sleeping with my fiancée. I could have done a lot worse. I could have burned your god awful clothes."

"Brooke…" Peyton pleaded with her friend.

Brooke put her hand up, "I'm done Peyton! I'm done with you lying to me. I'm done with you trying to get to Lucas. News flash Peyton he doesn't want you anymore."

Peyton straightened up her posture and a smirk stretched across her lips. "That's not what I recall."

"Yeah because you're a crazy bitch." Brooke spat out at Peyton. "You're a crazy bitch you can't take a damn hint!"

Brooke's words stung Peyton but something came over Peyton. She was ready to fight for Lucas.

"Brooke give it up! You know Lucas still loves me." Peyton crossed her arms over her chest.

Brooke laughed in disbelief. "Oh is that why he proposed to me?" She flashed her engagement ring.

"Oh but let's not forget if I would have said yes he'd be married to be right now." Peyton replied.

A hurt expression came over Brooke's face.

"And let's not forget I can give him kids and you can't!" Peyton almost instantly regretted her words.

Brooke slapped Peyton across the face, "Don't you dare use that against me! I can't have kids Peyton and you use that to hurt me? How dare you!"

She shook her head and turned to leave the beach house. That was the final straw for her.

"No Brooke I'm so sorry I didn't mean it." Peyton pleaded.

"The sad thing is that you really did mean it. I want you out of this beach house by tomorrow morning and I want you out of my life for good." Brooke felt tears run down her red cheeks as she left the beach house.

xoxo

Brooke pulled into Lucas' driveway. She turned off the car but remained in the car. She felt her heart melt as Peyton's words echoed in her head. _"I can give him kids and you can't!" _Those words hurt her so bad. Brooke wanted nothing more than to be able to tell Lucas that she was pregnant with his child.

Lucas was out running trying to find Brooke. After not finding her anywhere he went back to home. He found her car sitting in the driveway. A sigh of relief left his throat at the sight of her car. He walked past the car and saw Brooke balling her eyes out in the driver's seat. He knocked on the driver's side window.

Brooke jumped when she heard a knock on the window of her car. She looked over and saw a worried Lucas standing outside of the car. She didn't move.

Lucas opened the car door and kneeled down, "Brooke! I'm so sorry."

"Just hold me!" Brooke cried out as she melt into his arms.

He pulled her from the car and held her in his arms. They stood in the driveway in silence as Lucas held onto her.

"I promise to never hurt you again Brooke!" Lucas whispered to her once the crying had stopped.

Brooke nodded against his chest, "I know this isn't your fault."

Lucas shook his head, "I will take responsibility for my part in all of this. I should never have even allowed for her to console me. Vulnerability always leads to stuff like this when it comes to me and her. I should have known better!"

"She drugged you Luke." Brooke whispered against his chest.

Stunned, Lucas pulled away from Brooke and searched her face to see if she was joking, "She did what?"

"I found the drugs in her things when I went to the beach house. She must have put it in your drink while you weren't looking." Brooke answered dryly.

"What the hell!" Lucas screamed out in anger. "Who does that to someone?" He punched the staircase that led to the front door of his house.

Brooke watched Lucas' anger escape from his muscular frame through his punch to the stairs. The passion coming from his actions shook her out of her zombie-like stance. She knew this was all Peyton. Peyton drugged Lucas and slept with him but why?

Peyton watched Lucas punch the staircase from across the street; she was sitting in her car. The punch awoken something in Peyton. She was now realizing what she doing was wrong. Friends don't do this to one another. Peyton felt guilt cloud up her soul. She for once felt truly sorry for what she did.

She started her car and the sound of the engine starting caught the attention of both Brooke and Lucas. Lucas began to charge over to Peyton but Brooke grabbed both of his arms to stop him.

"Leave it alone. I think she gets the hint now." Brooke could tell from the expression on Peyton's face that she was finally getting it. "Let's go inside."

The couple turned their backs to Peyton and walked inside of their home. Peyton sat in the car until she saw the door to the house close. She sped off with tears filling her eyes. She couldn't believe she caused all of this pain. All because of her inability to let go.


	28. Chapter 28

"Brooke!" Lucas called out to his fiancée from the front of Clothes over Bros. The front of the store was empty and no one was in sight.

Brooke was working on sketches in the back of her store. She popped up from her drawings when she heard Lucas calling out to her. She quickly slid out of her working stool and raced out to the front.

Brooke stopped in the doorway when she saw Lucas standing in the front of the store. Lucas stretched his arms out wide for Brooke and she ran straight into his arms. He caught her and lifted her into the air.

"I've missed you handsome!" Brooke kissed Lucas' soft pink lips over and over.

Lucas put Brooke back down onto her feet but kept his arms wrapped around her.

He'd left Tree Hill for two weeks to continue to book tour in Vegas. He'd cancelled the rest of his book tour to deal with the Peyton incident. However, the book wasn't doing as good as expected and he needed to bring attention back to the book so his book tour was rescheduled.

It had been a two months since the Peyton incident. The couple spent the first two weeks holed up in their small bedroom in Lucas' home. But after the first two weeks of lying in bed Brooke slowly started to sketch again and get back to work. Her motivation helped Lucas get out of bed and start coaching again.

Brooke went back to working at the store after working from home four three weeks. She began to spend most of her days at the store while Lucas traveled on his book tour for his book, The Comet.

"I've missed you too!" Lucas released Brooke from his tight grip. "You don't know how good it feels to see your smile again. And I actually get to see your smile in person and not over Skype."

Brooke laughed and playfully nudged him, "Is it worth the wait?" She grinned wider than normal but couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Totally worth it." Lucas laughed with Brooke and plopped down on the white couch in the middle of Brooke's store.

The couple spent Brooke's lunch hour laughing, catching up and cuddling one another.

"Okay I better get going." Lucas groaned loudly as he stretched out his legs and arms. "The boys miss me down at practice. I'm head coach and I miss more practices than anyone else." He shook his head and stood up from the couch.

Brooke pouted but stood up with Lucas. She hugged him tightly, "Well get going so you can rush home to me!" She kissed him goodbye and watched from her store's window as he drove off towards the high school.

It felt good to me back into their normal pace. After the Peyton incident, Brooke agreed to sit down with Peyton in a therapist room. The two women shed a lot of tears and got passed their problems but Brooke wasn't ready to let Peyton back into her life as a friend. Brooke thought Peyton needed a lot more help especially since her biological father was back in town trying to get to know her.

Brooke felt bad for Peyton but for a long time Brooke felt nothing but anger towards her old friend. She'd done the worst thing you could possibly do to someone besides kill them. But soon after Brooke realized that her anger for Peyton was holding her back from being completely and truly happy in life so she let go all of the anger and frustration and forgave Peyton.

"Brooke! That was Victoria calling and she is coming to Tree Hill." Millicent informed her boss as she hung up the phone.

Brooke winced at the sound of her mother's name, "Why?" She hadn't spoken to her mother since her move back to Tree Hill. Victoria was against the move completely and tried with all of her power to stop Brooke from moving to Tree Hill.

"She says she wants to check in on the store." Millicent answered. Millicent despised Victoria Davis. She didn't understand how a mother could treat her daughter more like a business partner and have such little respect for their own child when their child was Brooke Davis.

Brooke let out a heavy sigh of frustration, "That woman is and will always be a pain in my ass."

"Well maybe one day she will grow a small little inkling of a heart and not be such a cold bitch..." Millicent trailed off when someone walked into the store.

A gothic teenage girl walked into the store. The thin girl with purple highlights looked to be about sixteen years old.

"Well hello." Millicent greeted the new customer. "Looking for a make-over?"

The teenage girl shot Millicent a violent look so Millicent backed off and walked away. Brooke turned her back to check her phone, but out of the corner of her eye she saw the young girl stuffing clothes from the racks into her bag.

"Hey!" Brooke grabbed the girl's bag. "Stealing is not okay with me! Maybe you try next door or maybe you should try paying for it."

The young girl tried to knock down Brooke and get her bag back but Brooke pushed the girl down onto the cold marble floor.

"I wasn't stealing!" The girl said as she managed to get back onto her feet. "I was going to pay for it."

Brooke laughed in disbelief, "Get out right now and never come back or I'll be happy to call the police and have your little ass arrested."

The girl reached for her bag but Brooke shook her head, "You're not getting this back. Now leave!" She pointed to the glass doors on her shop.

"Bitch!" The girl said underneath her breath as she walked out.

Brooke rolled her eyes and dumped the contents of the girl's backpack onto the floor. Nothing but Brooke's clothing spilled out. _"That little theft_!" She thought to herself as she cleaned up the wrinkled pile of clothes.

xoxo

"Does daddy know we are here?" Juliet asked her mom as both girls walked towards the old gym."

"Nope! We're gonna surprise daddy!" Brooke kept hold of her daughter's hand as they reached the gym.

Juliet and Brooke pushed opened the heavy doors of the high school's gym. Lucas, Nathan, and Skillz were all standing on the sidelines coaching the Ravens' basketball team. Haley sat in the bleachers grading papers from the Language Arts class she now taught full-time at the high school.

"Brooke?" Haley called out from the bleachers.

Brooke smiled and put her index finger to her lips, "Juliet wants to scare her father."

Lucas heard this and spun around, "I knew I heard my girl's behind me."

Juliet pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, "Daddy! I wanted to scare you?!"

Brooke and Lucas laughed at their five year old daughter.

"Maybe next time." Lucas laughed and kissed the top of Juliet's auburn colored curls.

Juliet raced over to her cousin Jamie; who was playing around with the high school basketball team. Lucas kissed Brooke and Haley made a choking noise behind them.

"Get a room!" Haley said with a laugh as she pretended to cover her eyes with the paper she was grading.

Brooke laughed, "Maybe later!" She winked at her fiancée and sat down on the cold bleachers beside Haley.

"I'm so glad to see you two bouncing back." Haley commented on the passion the couple still had toward one another.

Brooke nodded slowly and watched Lucas move around the court with his players, "Me too. The Peyton thing was really hard on us in so many ways."

"I'm glad she decided to get herself some help! She deserves to be happy." Haley added quietly.

Brooke glanced over at Haley, "She deserve happiness and now that she is getting help I finally feel safe. I didn't feel safe around Peyton, that's why I never took Juliet around her. Something about Peyton just always felt so off."

"I felt the same way but I thought it was just me being silly and paranoid." Haley admitted. "She did date Nathan!" She added with a laugh.

"She just gave off a bad vibe. She's a good person she just needed help to erase all that darkness she was holding onto since both of her mother's died." Brooke added with a shake of her head.

Lucas stood on the sidelines and listened to the ladies' conversation as he pretended to be writing down plays on his clipboard.

Brooke's opinion only made Lucas love her more than he already did. She had an amazingly big heart and he was happy she didn't let darkness cloud her heart like Peyton did. Lucas still held some anger toward Peyton since the incident but Brooke was helping him through it. He was just hoping he wouldn't have to see her anytime soon.

xoxo

Peyton had been seeing a therapist twice a week for two months. The sessions were starting to help her put her life back together. Her life no longer consisted or revolved around Lucas Scott. She'd broke things off with Julian and was now working on her marriage with Jake. She was also back in the studio actually working and signing new artists to her label, Red Bedroom Records.

"Peyton are you happy?" Dr. Rhines asked Peyton at the end of the session.

Peyton quietly thought about the question,_ are you happy?_ She thought through her life; she was with the man she truly loved and who truly loved her, she was working to make her record label bigger and better, and she was finally getting all of the darkness out of her life that had been there since she was a child.

She began to nod slowly, "I am happy doctor!" She smiled softly.

"Are you truly happy?" Dr. Rhines asked.

Peyton's smile got even wider, "I'm truly happy and I've forgiven myself for everything I've done."

Dr. Rhines smiled at how much her client had changed, "You're a whole new Peyton Sawyer. I'm proud of you for taking the reins of your own life and turning things around for the better."

"Thank you!" Peyton hugged her therapist and left the session.

Although she was done with her intensive therapy she was still going to see Dr. Rhines once every two weeks to help keep the darkness out of her life and heart. She was ready to be happy and fun Peyton Sawyer again.

She got into her car and sighed heavily, _"First stop Brooke Davis and Lucas Scott."_ Peyton thought to herself.

Peyton was working on apologizing to everyone she'd ever wronged. Lindsay and Peyton had already met up in New York and the two women were now good friends.

Brooke sat down in therapy with Peyton and had forgiven Peyton but was not ready to Peyton's friend again; she wanted that relationship back. She also had a lot of apologizing to do with Lucas. He'd refused to go to therapy with Peyton and was ignoring all of her calls and texts to meet up with her.

They were the last piece of the puzzle for her full recovery but they were also the hardest pieces to fix and put back together.


	29. Chapter 29

"Peyton Sawyer is officially back in business!" Haley walked into Red Bedroom Records.

While she was doing her therapy sessions Peyton didn't work much on her company. She left the company in the hands of Haley but Haley rarely had time to go into the office herself. Haley was more than happy to give Peyton back full control of Red Bedroom Records.

Peyton was sitting behind her desk when she heard Haley walk in, "Hey Hales!"

Peyton and Haley used to be close in high school but Haley never fully trusted Peyton because of how quickly Peyton turned on Brooke back in high school. As adults the two women barely spoke but now that Peyton was actively seeking help Haley was on board with being there for her. No one deserved to be abandoned when they were trying so hard to fix themselves and their past mistakes.

"So why'd you call me here?" Haley sat down on the edge of Peyton's desk.

Haley had explored singing back in high school and was discovered by a talent scout who sent Haley on tour with Chris Keller. Nathan and Haley's young marriage couldn't last the distance so Haley gave it all up to save her marriage with Nathan. Haley never got the chance to go back to touring because she found out she was pregnant with Jamie and all her focus went into being a great mom.

"Well someone wants to buy your music." Peyton informed Haley.

Haley's eyes widened, "Who?"

"That old record company I used to work for back in California. They want to know if you are still in the business. Everyone is expecting another hit album from Haley Scott!" Peyton pulled out Haley's contract.

Haley had been the second artist Peyton signed to her record label but Haley didn't do much recording music. Often times she would just help Peyton oversee her clients while they recorded their music.

"I want to know if you want back in. If not then I can rip this thing up and set you free!" Peyton handed Haley the contract.

Haley examined the contract and wrinkled up her nose, "I'm not sure now is a good time for me."

"Why not?" Peyton questioned.

"Because I have the café to run and I have a soon to be five year old son and not to mention I teach full time now!" Haley dropped the contract on the desk. "I'm sorry Peyton."

Peyton shook her head and smiled sadly, "It's no problem. You're life sounds pretty full! I understand."

Haley smiled, "Thank you for understanding. I give you full permission to sell my songs!" She got up to leave the office but Peyton stopped her.

"So how is Brooke?" Peyton asked quietly. "Is she doing okay?"

Haley stopped and sat back down on the edge of Peyton's desk, "She's good. Her mother is back in town and it has had a surprisingly good effect on her. She's thrown herself into planning her wedding and making sure it's perfect."

"I bet she's excited to be Mrs. Davis-Scott!" Peyton smiled.

Haley nodded slowly, "She is! The wedding is getting so close now and she has yet to become a bridezilla. She has been surprisingly pleasant about it all!"

Both Haley and Peyton laughed in unison. Peyton tried to reconnect with Brooke and Lucas but neither of them wanted much to do with Peyton. It had been two weeks since she tried contacting them but they never returned any of her calls or texts.

"I can tell she wishes you were there sometimes during the planning process. Like the other day we had to pick wedding colors for the bridesmaids' dresses and she almost picked green because she said you looked great in green." Haley mentioned to Peyton.

Peyton shook her head, "It doesn't seem like she wants anything to do with me. She won't even return my calls!"

"She doesn't want any more conflict in her life. Lucas is still very angry with you. He doesn't want to see you at all!" Haley gently touched Peyton's arm, "Brooke felt like she had to chose between you and Lucas. She chose to be a wife instead of a best friend."

A sad smile stretched across Peyton's face, "I get it! If I were her I would have made the same decision. I'm happy for Brooke, I just wish I could tell her that myself and not ask you to relay the message for me!"

"I'm sorry Peyton." Haley grabbed her purse and coat and left the office.

xoxo

"Brooke Davis, get your butt out here!" Victoria called for her daughter.

Brooke rolled her eyes and got up cutting fabric in the back room, "What is it mom?"

Victoria came into town to shut down Brooke's store but the two women ended up working out their differences. Victoria saw how much her daughter hatred and resentment her held towards her so she vowed to be a better mother for Brooke's sake.

"Please tell me that Lucas did Juliet's hair this morning because I know I taught you better than pig-tails!" Victoria motioned towards her granddaughter's messy head of pig-tails.

Brooke laughed and kneeled down to her daughter, "Did you try to do your own hair again?"

Juliet nodded, "I thought it looked pretty but grandma doesn't like it!"

Victoria almost winced at the word, grandma. She never wanted kids to begin with but now she had a daughter and a granddaughter. She was still getting used to it all.

"Well practice makes perfect honey." Brooke unbraided her daughter's ponytails and brushed out her hair. "There much better!"

Juliet ran to a mirror to check out her hair. She began to dance and twirl around in front of the floor length mirror.

"It is remarkable how much that little girl is just like you!" Victoria watched Juliet dance around to no music.

Brooke smiled, "Now that I'm happy about. I think I turned out pretty well!"

"It means she'll be strong, fiercely independent, and beautiful." Victoria stated with a nod of her head.

"Mom!" Brooke squealed, "That was so sweet."

"Oh goodness!" Victoria said with a wave of her hand.

"Hey ladies!" Lucas walked into the store.

"Hey handsome." Brooke kissed him.

Victoria eyed Lucas, "Lucas." She disapproved of how Lucas treated Brooke back in high school and in her eyes he still had a lot to prove to her.

Lucas nodded once at Victoria, "Victoria." Lucas wanted to protect Brooke from anything or anyone that could hurt her and on the top of that list was Victoria. She made Brooke an insecure scared little girl but Lucas was trying to warm up to her since Brooke was now on good terms with her mother.

"Daddy!" Juliet ran and hugged her father.

"Hey pretty girl!" Lucas picked up Juliet and hugged her.

Victoria leaned over towards Brooke, "I suppose he is a good father."

Brooke laughed at looked at her mother. "He is a great father to Juliet!"

"Daddy! Can I show you what grandma bought me?" Juliet asked.

Lucas nodded, "Sure!" He sat his daughter down on her two feet.

Once on her feet, Juliet began to pull her father into the back room but Brooke had her wedding dress out in the backroom.

"No! Wait!" Brooke squealed as she raced past Lucas and Juliet. "You can't come back here." She closed the door to the backroom and locked it.

Lucas and Juliet both stood frozen with shocked expressions written across their faces.

"Her wedding dress is back there." Victoria said dryly. "Why the girl does it here I still don't understand?!"

xoxo

"Don't you think its uber cute that you have Nathan as your male of honor and I have Haley as my maid of honor?" Brooke came back into the bedroom.

Lucas was reading the newspaper while lying in bed, "I guess so?"

Brooke closed the door and stood with her hands on her hips, "Lucas Scott!"

"What?" He looked up from his newspaper to see Brooke standing near the end of the bed.

Brooke had on a silky black robe with matching black pumps. She took the robe's tie into her hands and pulled gently. Lucas watched the black robe fall to the floor. Underneath the robe Brooke had on a red bowtie piece of lingerie.

"I have a present for you!" Brooke whispered to Lucas as she moved closer to the bed.

Lucas threw his newspaper aside and got up from the bed, "Oh please can I unwrap it?"

"No I'm sorry this present is reserved strictly for our wedding night!" Brooke said with a seductive smile.

Lucas fell back onto the bed, "You Brooke Davis are such a tease!" He picked up his newspaper and shielded his sight of her with it.

Brooke couldn't help but laugh at his reaction, "Oh Luke I'm so sorry." She couldn't stop laughing. "But you are the one who wanted to wait until we got married to have any more sex."

Lucas nodded his head once and dropped the newspaper in his lap, "Yeah? Well it seems that I've made a huge mistake."

Brooke continued to laugh as she crawled into the bed, "I'm so sorry! I promise no more teasing." She kissed his ear gently and let her tongue run slowly down his ear.

He bit down on his lip. "Brooke Davis!" He turned onto his side, putting his pillow over his head.

Brooke started to laugh again, "Okay Luke I'm done I promise. No more! I just had to get you with that one." She laughed and walked into the bathroom to get changed.

"I'm getting you back for that!" Lucas called out to her.

He heard her laughing on the other side of the door. The sound of her laughter brought a smile to his face.

"You're good Brooke! I will give you that!" Lucas went back to reading his newspaper.

Brooke laughed, "I'm better than good, I'm great!" She came out of the bathroom wearing the same black robe. "I'm promise there is no sexy lingerie underneath here." She climbed back into bed, "I'm just naked."

Lucas hit himself in the face with the newspaper, "Brooke!" He pleaded into the newspaper.

She laughed and rolled over to go to sleep. "Goodnight!"


	30. Chapter 30

"Okay I love you too." Lucas hung up his phone and tossed it back onto his bed.

Brooke stood in the doorway to their bedroom and she put her petite hands on her curvy hips, "That better have been your mother Lucas Scott!" She teased him playfully as she walked into the bedroom.

"It was Lily! They are all on their way back to Tree Hill as we speak. They were calling me to let me know that they just boarded their boat." Lucas got up from his sitting position on their bed. "We might have to move back into the beach house for the time they are here because I don't we will fit comfortably in Juliet's bed."

Brooke scrunched up her nose, "Can we just buy another home to live it until they leave? And if they decide to stay in Tree Hill for a while we will always have that new house to stay in."

Lucas laughed and shook his head. "You make buying a house sound a lot like buying a new dress or a pair of shoes."

She gave her shoulders a gentle shrug, "Well we can afford to buy another house for ourselves so I don't mind doing it. It's your money now too so you have to learn to be rich Mr. Scott!"

Lucas laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist, "I'll be okay with you buying another home as long as you put the beach house up for sale first. Deal?"

"We Luke, not I!" Brooke tilted her head to the said, "C'mon let me hear you say it! We!"

Lucas laughed, "We!"

"We what?" Brooke raised an eyebrow to him. "I wanna hear it Lucas! We will be marrying one another and buying a new house to live in."

"Are you really going to make me say the whole thing out loud?" Lucas asked with a playful whine.

She nodded slowly and put her hand to her ear, "C'mon say it! It's not that hard you are a writer you write longer sentences than that!"

"Oh for goodness sake Luke just say it!" Nathan walked into the couple's home with Jamie and Haley trailing behind him.

Lucas laughed and pulled away from holding Brooke to greet his family.

"You got away with it this time Lucas but I won't be forgetting about this anytime soon mister!" Brooke laughed and playfully nudged him she made her way to her best friend, Haley. "Hey Hales!"

Juliet come out of her bedroom she heard other voices besides her parent's. She exited the room with a pair of tired eyes. "Hey Jamie!" She said with her hoarse sleepy voice.

Brooke laughed at her daughter's appearance, "Juliet Scott! Let's go brush your hair and change your clothes."

Brooke and Lucas agreed on changing Juliet's last name from Davis to Scott before the wedding but only with Juliet's permission.

The two girls disappeared behind the door of Juliet's bedroom. Lucas moved everyone outside to his small backyard. Nathan opened the grill and started working on putting the fire on so he could start helping Lucas grill the food for their cookout.

"So Karen called!" Haley mentioned to Lucas as she took a seat in one of the brown lawn chairs out back.

Lucas smiled from ear to ear, "I'm excited for her to come back into town! I haven't seen my mom in almost a year. I miss her and Lily!"

"Is Brooke ready to reunite with Karen?" Haley questioned.

Lucas nodded once, "Before Brooke left Tree Hill her and my mom developed a close relationship while sitting in a hospital room watching over me."

"Oh I remember that week. That was the longest week of my life!" Haley shook her head and smiled sadly. "I still don't get how you broke up with Brooke after seeing how much she did for you while you were in a coma. It doesn't make sense even now!"

Lucas winced at the painful memory, "Looking back at it I don't know why I did it either. I was seriously confused!"

"You got that right! You really were confused!" Brooke said from behind Lucas, "But he eventually got it right." She bent down and kissed him, "I got all the drinks set up inside in the cooler."

Juliet walked out of the house behind her mother, "The lemonade is really good!" The little girl was licking yellow liquid from her tiny lips.

Everyone laughed at Juliet's sticky appearance.

"She is so silly!" Brooke said between laughs.

Lucas pulled Brooke into his lap, "Like mother like daughter."

xoxo

"My cheeks hurt momma!" Jamie had his tiny hands glued to his round cheeks.

Haley laughed, "It's because you've been laughing and smiling all night!"

Brooke picked up her god son with ease and she held him in her arms, "I'm glad you have fun tonight Jamie!"

"Me too. You're a lot of fun Aunt Brooke." Jamie said. "Are you coming to my birthday party?"

Brooke poked Jamie's sore cheeks gently with her finger, "You bet you I'm coming! I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"Juliet is coming too right?" Jamie's face lite up at the thought of his fifth birthday party.

Brooke laughed and sat him down back onto his feet, "Juliet will be there right beside me. I promise." She made an x motion over her heart; Jamie repeated this motion before racing off to tell his cousin the good news.

"So we have our final dress fittings on Monday?" Haley asked as she fished her car keys out of her large tote bag.

Brooke's hands flew up to her pink cheeks, "Yes!" She squealed and danced around a little. "I'm so excited Hales. I'm getting married!"

Haley laughed and playfully shook her friend, "Well save some of this energy for your wedding day. I don't want to see excited Brooke everyday then the day comes and you become zombie Brooke!"

"Thank you for being my maid of honor!" Brooke hugged Haley.

Haley smiled, "Brooke you thank me for being your maid of honor every time you see me. And every time you thank me we both cry…"

"You both cry like little girls!" Nathan finished his wife's sentence. "Now go ahead and get it over with so we can go." He teased his wife and sister-in-law with a laugh.

Brooke and Haley looked at one another and both women had tears in their eyes. Brooke was the first to give in and just cry.

"I love you Hales!" Brooke grabbed a napkin off of the kitchen counter to dab her eyes with so she didn't have smeared makeup everywhere.

"I love you too Brooke!" Haley held back her tears and hugged Brooke once more, "I gotta go before I start balling my eyes out but I just wanted to let you know that surprise I'm pregnant don't hate me!"

She grabbed her coat and darted out of the house towards her car. Brooke stopped crying and let out a long gasp.

"Congrats you selfish baby haver!" Brooke playfully called out to Haley as she raced after her friend who already darted outside. She said goodbye to Jamie and Nathan before coming back inside of the house.

"You're not mad that she's pregnant again before you?" Lucas picked up Brooke, "Because if you are we can go practice for babies right now!"

Brooke laughed and covered her blushing face with her hands, "I'm not mad Luke! I love Hales and Nathan and I'm happy for them."

"Oh darn then no baby making sex!" Lucas sat Brooke down onto her two feet again.

Brooke playfully pouted, "Well I never said we couldn't practice!"

"That's more like it!" Lucas picked up Brooke and ran towards their bedroom.

"Wait! You said no more sex!" Brooke squealed out to her husband when he plopped her down onto the bed and started to kiss on her neck.

"Oh that's right!" Lucas got up from hovering over Brooke. "Oh well!"

Brooke threw a pillow at him, "Lucas Scott you were just teasing me, weren't you?"

Lucas laughed and successfully dodged the pillow his fiancée threw in his direction, "I told you I was gonna get you back for that sexy…" He closed his eyes to picture her in that robe again, "For that sexy lingerie trick!"

Brooke laughed and playfully hit him, "You're so mean! That was foul Luke!"

"Well it doesn't have to be!" Lucas began to unbutton his shirt.

"Momma! Daddy!" Juliet called out to her parents.

Lucas stood frozen and stopped unbuttoning his shirt. Brooke covered her mouth with her hands and burst out into fits of laughter. They forgot Juliet had been awake.

Juliet slowly opened the door to her parent's bedroom. "Were you two fighting?"

Brooke started to laugh again and pulled her daughter closer to her, "No honey! Momma and daddy were just playing around and having fun!"

"Oh well I wanna have fun!" Juliet said with a wide smile.

Lucas checked the time on his watch, "It is well past your bed and bath time."

Juliet pouted and stood up to leave the room, "I can't wait until I'm a grown up then I'll have all kinds of fun without you."

"Hey! Be nice!" Brooke said sternly to her daughter, "Now c'mon we can make bath time fun."

"I'm sorry daddy!" Juliet grabbed her mother's hand and pulled her out of the room, "Can we talk about the wedding again? That is always fun!"

Brooke smiled and nodded, "Yes we can talk about the wedding while you take your bath. But you have to remember you can't tell daddy anything about the wedding!"

"I promise not to tell daddy!" Juliet nodded once and disappeared into her closet to grab her pajamas.

"Tell daddy what?" Lucas appeared in Juliet's bedroom.

"Lucas Scott! Where you listening to us the whole time?" Brooke crossed her arms over her chest.

Lucas laughed and playfully surrendered to Brooke with his hands up in the air. "I was just checking up on my two grumpy girls!" He kissed Brooke's forehead.

"Daddy!" Juliet reappeared, "Tonight is girls only bath time." She held her pajamas close to her chest.

Lucas laughed, "Okay but you have to promise to make tomorrow night my time with you!"

"I promise." Juliet rested her hand over her heart and smiled, "Now go!"

Lucas exited his old bedroom and smiled as he closed the door behind him. These where the moments he was looking forward to sharing with Brooke and Juliet for the rest of his life and hopefully other children they might have as well.


	31. Chapter 31

"Okay come on preggers! Let's see if the dress still fits you now that you're knocked up." Brooke teased her maid of honor, Haley, from outside of the white silky curtains that were closing Haley into the dressing room.

"Brooke I am only four months pregnant! I am not even big yet!" Haley ripped open the curtains and came out of the dressing room in her pink bridesmaid gown. The gown cascaded perfectly over her barely there baby bump and was one shoulder with a draping detail on the shoulder.

Brooke gasped at the sight of her maid of honor, "Hales you look gorgeous! I knew pink was so your color."

Haley smiled and twirled in the dress, making the hem flare up the more she twirled. "Thank you! It was so big before but it surprisingly fits perfectly now."

"Oh I wonder how that happened!" Brooke teased playfully Haley. "I can't wait to see you walking down the aisle in this dress. You're gonna be the second prettiest woman in the building."

Haley went back into the dressing room to change out of the bridesmaid gown, afraid of getting the beautiful gown dirty. "I'm so happy that you made me your maid of honor but do I have to be the only bridesmaid in the wedding?"

"Yes! I want my bridesmaids to be people I've known practically my whole life and you're the only one that fits in that category who is still around." Brooke mentioned sadly.

"You couldn't make Millie an exception? She knows you better than most people and she's one of your dear friends!" Haley came back out of the dressing room fully clothed in the clothes she arrived in.

"I guess maybe Millie can be in the wedding too! We'll see since it's such short notice!" Brooke sighed heavily, "Is it my turn to try on my dress?"

Haley laughed and pushed Brooke towards a different dressing room, "It sure is! Now get changed and I'll help you zip up once you have the dress on."

Brooke squealed and closed the white silk curtains to the dressing room she had built in the back of her store.

"Brooke?" Lucas walked into the store.

"Is that Lucas?" Brooke stopped getting undressed and poked her head out of the curtains, "Go get rid of him!"

Haley turned on her bare heel and raced out to the front of the store. "Hey Luke!" She blocked him from going into the back of the store with her body. "Brooke would really love if it you got lost like now!"

"I thought she was finished making her dress!" Lucas exclaimed.

Haley began to push him back toward the glass doors of the boutique, "She is but she has to try it on to see if it still fits."

"But I have to warn her about this thing I read in the newspaper today." Lucas held up a paper with Brooke's face printed on the front. "I need to talk to her."

Haley took the newspaper out of his hand and gasped at the headline, Clothes over Bros Goes Bankrupt.

"Oh. My. Goodness." She scanned over the front page article about Brooke's business. She turned and raced to the back, Lucas followed behind her. "Brooke get dressed we need to talk."

"Talk about what?" Brooke whined from the other side of the curtain. "I haven't even stepped into my dress yet!"

"We need to talk about how your business is like dead! Apparently you haven't paid the taxes in like years. Brooke that is against the law." Haley started reading the article again.

Brooke quickly got dressed and came out of the dressing room, furious. "Give me that! It has to be some kind of joke." She snatched the paper from Haley's hands and she read every word of the article twice to make sure she didn't miss anything. "Oh. My. Goodness!"

"That's what I said!" Haley exclaimed.

Lucas reached out and gently touched Brooke's arm, "Stay calm Brooke. I'm sure we can figure this all out!"

"Where is Victoria?" Brooke snapped, "She handles this part of the business. You bring her to me, now!" She stuffed the paper underneath her arm and walked to the front of the store.

Police cars were parked out front of the small boutique.

"What is going on?" Brooke asked as police officers invaded Brooke's store.

"Brooke Davis?" One of the police officers asked Haley.

Haley put her hands in the air and shook her head, "Haley Scott!"

The officers turned to Brooke and began to handcuff her, "Brooke Davis you are under arrest for tax evasion."

"Officers there has got to be a mistake!" Brooke cried out as they pulled her down to her knees. "Luke!"

An officer was blocking Lucas from getting to Brooke, "I'm gonna get you out of this okay Brooke! Just stay calm." He watched helplessly as they hauled her off. "Hey! You don't have to be so rough with her!" He began to charge at the officer handling Brooke but he was pushed back.

"Luke!" Brooke cried out for him as they dragged her out of the store. "Luke!"

Lucas watched in pain and horror as his fiancée was dragged off to jail in the back of a cop car.

"Oh I so did not see that coming!" Haley filled the silence in the air.

Lucas shot her a look and she made a zipping motion over her lips. "I gotta get Victoria here! She has to know what's going on!" He raced for the store's phone and dialed Victoria Davis' number. She answered on the first ring.

"I take it you saw the news Brooke!" Victoria said.

Lucas laughed in disbelief, "Yeah she saw the news! She saw the news and was hauled off to jail not even five minutes after reading that her company was going bankrupt."

"What?!" Victoria yelled into the phone.

He pulled the phone away from his ear as Victoria yelled. "You need to come back here to Tree Hill and deal with this! Something tells me you have everything to do with this and Brooke has nothing to do with this."

"Well I'm on my way to Tree Hill right now." Victoria hung up the phone.

Lucas looked down at his phone in disbelief as Victoria hung up on him. His heart was beating a million miles a minute as he tried to come up with a solution to get his bride out of jail. Lucas threw the phone at one of the white walls of the store.

Haley gasped loudly at Lucas' reaction, "Luke!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him into a gentle hug. "We'll get her out of this. She is going to be alright. Brooke is an amazingly strong woman!"

Lucas stood frozen in Haley's arms as she tried to comfort him. After a few moments he warmed to Haley's touch and melted into the hug."Hales I hope you're right about this!"

xoxo

Lucas paced back and forth across the marble floors of Brooke's boutique.

"Lucas please sit down! You're going to pace a hole into that floor and marble is pretty is expensive." Victoria turned her attention from Lucas back to her lawyers who were muttering amongst themselves.

Victoria arrived in Tree Hill only twenty minutes after hanging up with Lucas. She already boarded a flight from New York to Tree Hill after getting wind of the story being published about her and daughter's company that morning over breakfast.

"Victoria are you sure you want to do this?" One of the lawyers asked.

Victoria nodded once, "I'm sure! Brooke doesn't deserve to be locked away for something she had nothing to do with. I did this and I deserve to fix it!"

"You know that means up to three years in jail!" One of the lawyers informed their client.

Victoria began to nod and Lucas stop pacing, "You're going to jail?" Lucas asked in shock. "For three years?"

Victoria sighed heavily, "I can get up to three years. Besides this is the only way to get Brooke out of this mess I created. Someone has to go to jail and serve time for this and that someone will be me. Or would you rather Brooke sit in jail and watch your wedding day pass at a depressing rate?"

Lucas thought about this and nodded once, "Brooke is going to be crushed when she finds out you won't be able to see her walk down the aisle."

"Well we are making a plea deal to make sure Victoria will be released to see her daughter walk down the aisle on her big day!" One of Victoria's lawyers informed Lucas.

Lucas couldn't help but smile at the news, "You seemed to have figured it all out!"

Victoria smiled and clapped her hands together, "I'm supposed to make it all better for my daughter I'm her mother!"

xoxo

The gates to the local jail buzzed loudly and opened up. Brooke stood on the other side of the gate with a strong pout on her face. She had been held in a holding cell for several hours without communication from anyone but a single phone call to Lucas.

Lucas raced over to the now open gates of the jail and Brooke's face lite up at the sight of her fiancé racing toward her. Lucas scooped Brooke up into his arms and held her tight against his muscular chest.

"I've missed you!" Lucas whispered to Brooke.

The couple's reunion moment was interrupted by camera crews and news stations pulling up behind them. Flash bulbs began to go off all around the couple and reporters began to hound the couple with questions.

"How are you going to explain this to the thousands of people you employ at Clothes over Bros?" One reporter asked.

"How are you on the border of being a billionaire but can't pay your taxes?" Another reporter asked.

Brooke pushed her face into Lucas' chest, "I just want to go home!"

"I'm gonna get you out of this." Lucas whispered to Brooke. He shielded her from the bright lights of the flashing cameras. He opened the passenger side door and took off his coat and handed it to Brooke for her to shield herself with.

Brooke took Lucas' coat and shielded her face with the thick brown wool coat. She watched him walk back around to the driver's side of the car from underneath the coat.

"Hey back off!" Lucas grabbed one camera men by his collar, "Stay away from her!" He tossed the guy aside with ease and quickly got into the car. "I'm here with you Brooke. I'm not letting you go through this alone!" He sped off away from the crowd forming outside of the jail.


	32. Chapter 32

"Okay there seems to be no paparazzi here! They haven't found us!" Lucas was peeking out of the curtains covering a window in a motel room.

"Yet!" Brooke plopped down onto the queen-sized bed in the center of the small room. She groaned when her head hit the stiff pillows sitting at the head of the bed.

Lucas turned away from the motel's window that led outside, "You gotta try and be positive about this Brooke or it'll drive you crazy."

"Be positive!" She cried out, "I have a mug shot Luke! I am lying on a dirty bed in an old trashy motel." Brooke pouted and sat up on the bed.

"Well I did say try!" Lucas sat down beside Brooke on the bed.

She laid her head on his shoulder, "I'm sorry! I'm just so frustrated!" She wiped a few tears from her wet cheeks. "I just don't know how I went from trying on my wedding dress this morning to trying on an orange jumpsuit and being accused of tax evasion."

Lucas wrapped his arms around Brooke and held her against his side, "I know it's frustrating Brooke but pretty soon this will all be over."

Brooke looked up at him and smiled, "I'm so glad I have you here with me!" She felt herself tearing up again and she buried her face into his chest. "But I hate that you have to see me like this!"

Lucas laughed and smiled down at her, "See you like what?"

"Vulnerable." Brooke wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, leaving a trail of smudged make-up on the back of her hand.

"Brooke, I always see you like this and I think it is so beautiful." Lucas tucked a few loose hairs behind her ear and kissed her forehead.

"Luke!" Brooke started crying again.

Lucas laughed, "What?"

"You're making me cry again?!" She laughed as she wiped away more tears. She sniffled and cleared her throat, "I love you Lucas Scott, although that was the most unattractive I love you known to man!"

They laughed together and Lucas playfully tackled her down on to the bed, "I love you too Brooke Davis!" He kissed her nose and brushed his lips against hers.

A soft knock sounded on the motel room's door. Lucas and Brooke both popped up from the bed. Brooke raced over to window and slowly began to peel back the thick orange curtains covering the windows.

"Wait Brooke!" Lucas tried to stop her in case a reporter was standing on the opposite side of the door.

Brooke peeked through a small slit of the curtain she had pulled back. "Oh it's only Haley." She let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"I can hear you in there! Open the door before someone sees me!" Haley cried out to Brooke.

Lucas quickly opened the door, "Who is going to recognize you?"

Haley walked into the small hotel room, "Hey! I was once on tour! I made big hits mister!"

Brooke laughed and shook her head, "Wasn't that in high school?"

"So!" Haley peeled back the dirty sheets and sat down on the stiff motel bed.

Lucas and Brooke both raised their hands into the air, "Forgive us!" Lucas added with a laugh.

Haley laughed and threw one of the dust, heavy pillows at them, "So why'd you pick this place to hide out?"

"Well they would never expect a wealthy woman to shake her pride and money to hide out in a dump like this. They're probably all camping outside of the nice hotels!" Brooke answered.

"Actually…" Haley trailed off as she bit down on her bottom lip, "I was driving over here and they were every Brooke! They are outside of your house Luke. They are outside of your store Brooke, the café, even my house."

Brooke's eyes widened, "They've taken it a bit too far!"

Lucas and Haley both nodded in agreement. Brooke grabbed her phone out of her purse and dialed her mother's number. Victoria did not pick up.

"Who are you calling?" Lucas asked as he watched Brooke furiously type on her phone.

"I need to talk to Victoria! She usually knows how to handle the paparazzi." Brooke said as she tried calling her mother again to now avail.

Lucas and Haley looked at one another and then back to Brooke.

"Victoria didn't tell you?" Haley asked Brooke.

"Tell me what?" Brooke threw the phone back inside of her purse after getting a voicemail again.

Haley nudged Lucas softly in his side. She nodded towards Brooke, "Tell her!" She mouthed to him.

Lucas scratched the back of his sandy blond hair, "Brooke!"

Brooke was now pacing the floor of the small hotel room.

"Brooke!" Lucas stood up and stepped in her path to stop her from pacing, "Victoria is in jail."

Brooke's mouth fell open, "They arrested her too?" She cried out as her petite hands flew to her burning red cheeks.

"That's not exactly what happened." Haley stood up from her sitting position on the stiff motel bed.

Brooke's eyes darted back and forth from Haley to Lucas and back again, "What is going on?"

"You're mom turned herself in to get you out of jail." Lucas started but Brooke interrupted him.

"She did what? Why would she do that?" She stomped her foot onto the ground. "Why would she give in to false accusations?"

"Well it turns out she is sorta kinda guilty." Haley tried to explain to Brooke. "She admitted to the tax evasion thing but she said she had no idea you would catch the blame for any of it."

Brooke's face turned pale as she fell back onto the bed. Lucas raced over to her and kneeled down at the foot of the bed.

"I'm so sorry Brooke!" Lucas whispered to his fiancée.

She covered her face with her petite hands, "How could she do this to me?" Brooke cried out into her hands.

"I don't think she did it to hurt you! She just had a moment of bad judgment." Haley sat down on the bed beside Brooke.

"Poor judgment Hales? She practically ruined my business because she failed to pay taxes! And she also failed to tell me, her daughter and her boss that she wasn't paying taxes." Brooke slapped her hands down on the bed.

Haley flinched out of the way of Brooke's slap to the bed. She covered her small baby bump with her purse. "Pregnant here!"

This had a softening effect on Brooke as she sat up, "I'm sorry Hales! How are you feeling?" She smiled softly at her pregnant best friend.

"I'm feeling afraid of you right now!" Haley playfully leaned away from Brooke. "You almost hit my baby!"

Everyone laughed together at Haley. Brooke took Haley into her arms and hugged her.

"I'm sorry! I'm taking this all out on the two of you." Brooke sighed lightly.

Haley hugged Brooke, "It's okay. We both understand how crazy this all must be for you."

Lucas joined in on the hug, careful not to hug Haley too tightly. "We're here for you Brooke!"

"You know what is missing from this picture?" Brooke asked.

"What?" Lucas and Haley asked in unison.

"Juliet and Jamie and Nathan!" Brooke frowned sadly.

Haley smiled, "Well Nathan left them with Jamie's nanny, Carrie."

"Excuse me! I don't want Juliet with someone I don't know." Brooke let go of Haley.

"No don't worry! Carrie is really great with kids." Haley nodded once. "She won't hurt them or leave them alone or anything crazy."

This did nothing to ease Brooke's worries. She shot Haley a worried look and Haley couldn't help but laugh at how adorable her friend looked.

"Okay maybe we can sneak you out of here to go see Juliet." Haley suggested.

"Aren't there reporters and camera crews camped outside of your home?" Lucas asked.

"Yeah but Jamie and Juliet aren't at my house, not with all that chaos going on. They are hanging out at the river court." Haley pulled her phone out from her purse. She dialed a number on her phone, "We're coming there!" After a few Okays Haley hung up her phone. "We're all set!"

"Yay!" Brooke clapped her hands together and quickly grabbed her purse and shoes. "Let's get out of this motel room please! It's making me itchy." She pulled her tan blouse away from her skin and opened the door.

Lucas laughed and followed Brooke out of the room with Haley at his side. "Thank you for doing all of this for her!" Lucas draped his arm over Haley's shoulders.

Haley shook her head, "Brooke is like a sister to me! I'd do anything for that girl."

Brooke was speed walking ahead of them but she stopped in her tracks, "Wait! What is going to stop them from recognizing me and my car?"

Haley and Lucas looked at one another before spinning around and walking back into the hotel room they'd just come out of.

"I need a hat and some sunglasses! A wig maybe?" Brooke slammed the door to the hotel room. "I want to get out of this nasty room already."

Haley tossed her purse onto the bed and pulled it open, "I have a pair of sunglasses and a scarf!" She pulled a pink and white scarf out of her purse.

Brooke snatched the scarf from Haley's hands. She raced into the bathroom, stood in front of the mirror, and pulled her hair into a neat bun. She tied Haley's long scarf around the neat bun. "I need make-up wipes and those sunglasses!"

Haley handed Brooke wipes and the sunglasses, "You are very fascinating to watch when you have an idea!" She stood in the doorway of the bathroom and watched Brooke rub off her makeup.

Lucas sat down on the edge of the bed and texted his mother with updates of everything that was happening since she was now on your way back for her son's wedding to Brooke.

Brooke pulled eyeliner out of her purse and drew a Marilyn Monroe mole onto her face. She slid the large pair of sunglasses over her eyes. "Now I need to change my clothes."

"Oh I have a spare dress out in my car!" Haley offered.

"Perfect go get it!" Brooke ordered. Haley stood with her hands on her hips. "Please!" Brooke cried out.

Haley laughed and left the room to go get the spare dress out of her car. Lucas looked up from his iPhone and smiled at the sight of his fiancée.

"You look like Jennifer Lopez!" Lucas said with a soft laugh.

Brooke couldn't help but laugh, "I'm going for diva since the real Brooke Davis doesn't do full on diva wear anymore! Brooke Davis is more subtle and chic."

"Oh goodness she is referring to herself in the third person now!" Haley laughed and walked back into the room holding a mint green flowy dress. "Here you are fake Brooke Davis!"

Brooke laughed and took the dress from Haley, "Thank you Hales!" She made a funny face at her friend as she slowly shut the door to the bathroom.

The door to the bathroom popped opened and Brooke stepped out fully made over. She had her hair slicked back into a neat bun that sat at the back of her head, she had the neat bun covered neatly with a soft pink scarf that matched her spring like mint dress, and she covered the dress with tan trench coat while topping off the whole outfit with tan sunglasses and tan wedges.

"Do I look like myself?" Brooke posed in the doorway of the bathroom.

Lucas took in the sight of his fiancée with wide eyes, "No but you look stunning!"

Haley nodded in agreement, "You look great Brooke although you don't really look like yourself!"

Brooke laughed and put on a coat of sheer pink lip gloss to her bare lips. "Okay great! I called Millie and she is downstairs with a rental S.U.V for us all to ride in. She will take my car back to the store to distract the paparazzi long enough for us to drive by the store and go unnoticed on our way to the rivercourt."

"That sounds like a great plan!" Haley said with a clap of her hands.

Brooke sighed and nervously shook her hands at her side, "I just hope it works!"


	33. Chapter 33

Brooke, Haley, and Lucas piled into the black Escalade Millicent rented and brought to the motel for the adults to ride in to the rivercourt. Brooke climbed into the driver's seat and rolled down the black tinted window.

"So I will drive in front of you and distract the paparazzi by pulling up and parking in front of your store in your car. I won't get out for at least five minutes and then when I do get out everyone will realize they've been tricked but they will realize too little too late?" Millicent went over the plan with her boss.

Brooke nodded and smiled widely, "That's the plan! Thank you again Millie for doing this for me! I owe you big time!"

Millicent climbed into the driver's side of Brooke sleek black Audi, "No problem Brooke. Good luck and tell Juliet and Jamie I said hello!"

The plan was set in motion as Millicent drove out of the parking lot of the small motel and Brooke followed behind her, making sure to keep her distance. It wasn't long before they reached the front of Clothes over Bros boutique. Millicent pulled over as planned and Brooke continued to drive past the chaos.

Her hands began to tremble."I'm panicking!" Brooke glanced in her rear view mirror but smiled when not one reporter seem to notice her drive by. "It worked!" She had to remind herself to pay attention to the road.

Brooke pulled up and parked in the grassy area of the river court. Juliet and Jamie were playing basketball on the court while Jamie's nanny Carrie sat and watched the kids on a nearby bleacher.

"See Juliet is in one piece. I told you nanny Carrie is good at her job!" Haley climbed out of the big black S.U.V. "Hey Carrie!"

Nanny Carrie peeled her eyes away from protectively watching over the kids to see her boss, Haley, walking towards her. Carrie was largely jealous of Haley's life. Haley had a loving husband and son and she was pregnant with her second child, her life was complete.

"Hey Haley! I did what you said; I kept the kids here and entertained until you got here." Carrie smiled widely.

"Thank you Carrie. You can go home now." Haley turned away from Carrie to greet her son Jamie. "Hey Jamie Jamster!"

Carrie watched Haley and Jamie interact with one another as she walked off of the rivercourt. She pulled out her phone, "Hey is this TMZ? Yeah I have a sighting on Brooke Davis."

Brooke was kneeling down on the rivercourt in front of Juliet, "Honey I promise it's me!"She peeled the large sunglasses away from her eyes.

Juliet was hesitating to hug the woman kneeling down in front of her claiming to be her mother. She sounded like her mother and kinda looked like her mother but she wasn't sure it was her mother. "What is my middle name?"

"Amarie!" Brooke opened her arms wide and pulled her daughter into a hug, "I can't believe you didn't recognize me! I'm your momma."

Juliet laughed and hugged her mother, "I knew it was you."

"Yeah right!" Brooke began to tickle her daughter.

"Daddy! Help me! It's the tickle monster." The little girl said between giggles.

Lucas laughed and pretended to try and pull her daughter away from her mother. "Oh no! The tickle monster is just too strong!"

Peyton was driving through town to on a break from being locked up in her office all day long. She was growing tired of all the phone calls from reporters asking her where Brooke was. The streets were packed with frustrated camera men so she took the back way back to her office. She saw a happy family playing on the river court but as she got closer she noticed the children and Haley. She smiled but had no plans to stop until she saw a new station's van driving towards the rivercourt. She honked her horn to get the Haley's attention.

Everyone stopped playing on the court when they heard a honk.

"Peyton?" Brooke called out, confused.

Peyton hesitated to get out of the car but she did and raced over to Brooke, "I think the reporters found you! You better get going I saw a new station's van heading toward the rivercourt!"

Brooke frowned and looked at Lucas who was in deep thought. Brooke nudged him softly in his arm, "What are we going to do Luke? We've run out of places to hide and I'm not taking Juliet to that awful motel."

"Well what about my house? No one knows where I live I don't think!" Peyton offered but shut her mouth as she prepared herself for an instant rejection.

"Okay!" Brooke began to nod slowly and soon after the new station's van came into view, "Let's go like right now."

Lucas had no time to object as Brooke started pulling Juliet towards the black S.U.V. He followed behind his fiancée and daughter but he was now in a zombie-like stance and moving at a snail's pace.

"Luke c'mon!" Brooke called out to her fiancé from the car.

Lucas snapped out of his zombie-like stance and sped up his pace. He jumped into the passenger seat of the S.U.V, "Brooke we can't hide forever!"

"I know Luke! I'm arranging a press conference for first thing in the morning, this has gotten to be a bit much. I mean we're staying at Peyton's house!" Brooke followed closely behind Peyton's car.

"So you find this weird too then?" Haley called from the backseat. She was buckled in between her son, Jamie and her god-daughter, Juliet.

"Yes! But I don't want the kids around all of that chaos with the cameras and noisy reporters so for right now this is our only option until the press conference." Brooke pulled into Peyton's driveway.

Peyton lived in the same brown brick house she'd grown up in. The brick house brought back a lot of memories for Brooke. She turned off the car but stayed put in the driver's seat as she took in the sight of the house.

"Brooke you coming?" Lucas was now standing outside of the car.

Brooke shook her head and snapped out of her own thoughts, "Yeah I'm coming!" She climbed out of the car and walked inside.

On the vanity by the front door was a picture of Brooke and Peyton as children. The picture had been taken just one week before Peyton's adoptive mother passed away. The two girls grew close after the woman's death because Brooke did everything possible to be there for Peyton.

"We have some of Jenny's old toys in some boxes upstairs. We were just in the process of taking them all out!" Peyton led Jamie and Juliet upstairs to her old bedroom that was now a children's room.

"This house still looks exactly the same!" Brooke said quietly as she walked toward the living room. In the white living room still sat the same tan floral couch and matching tan side tables. On one of the side tables sat a picture of Jake and Peyton on their wedding day.

"Oh she looked so pretty!" Haley looked at the picture with Brooke, "Is it me or has she gained weight?" She whispered to Brooke.

Brooke looked over at Haley and started laughed.

"What's so funny?" Peyton walked into the living room.

Brooke straightened up her posture, "Nothing just a silly joke Haley was telling!"

"Oh okay!" Peyton nodded slowly and slipped out of her brown leather jacket but kept her scarves around her neck, "Can I offer you guys some tea or coffee or water?"

"How about a stiff drink!" Lucas said sarcastically.

Brooke and Haley both shot him an angry look but his eyes remained on his feet.

"No drink for me! At least not for another six months!" Haley sat down on the hideous floral couch, "But I'd love some water."

Peyton smiled from ear to ear, "I haven't gotten a chance to officially congratulate you on your pregnancy because I haven't seen you but congrats!" She turned to fetch Haley's water but stopped and turned to Brooke. "Would you like something Brooke?"

"No thank you!" Brooke sat down beside Haley on the couch.

"Sorry Lucas we don't have any alcohol in the house except beer but I'm sure Jake wouldn't mind if you had one." Peyton offered him.

"No thanks. I'd like to stay sober this evening!" He snapped at Peyton.

"Luke that is enough!" Brooke said to him sternly.

Peyton shook her head, "No it's okay Brooke! I deserved that." She looked down at her shaking hands, "What I did was terrible and I'm so sorry I did that to you Lucas. I truly am sorry!" Her voice began to crack.

Lucas peeled his eyes off of his black boots, "I'll have some water, thank you."

"Water it is." Peyton smiled and turned to go get everyone's water.

Brooke smiled and got up from her sitting position on the couch, "I'm proud of you!"

"For what?" Lucas looked down at Brooke but couldn't help but smile at the sight of her grin.

"For forgiving her!" Brooke brushed her lips against his, "It's very big of you and it was very sexy!"

Lucas' smile widened, "Oh really?"

"Ew!" Haley looked up from her phone, "Please! Not while I'm sitting here. I'm likely to barf!" Everyone laughed.

Peyton came back with a tray of water. "I brought you one Brooke in case you changed your mind."

"Thank you P. Sawyer!" Brooke took a glass of water.

Peyton smiled at Brooke calling her by her nickname again. She opened her mouth to say something but Haley interrupted.

"So Peyton I noticed you haven't taken off your scarves!" Haley tugged at one of the scarves around Peyton's neck.

She looked down at the scarves, "Oh I'm just cold!"

Haley squinted at Peyton and smiled from ear to ear, "Oh my god you're pregnant!"

Both Brooke and Lucas' mouths dropped open. Peyton finally took off both of the scarves she had been wearing around her neck. Underneath the scarves was a very tiny baby bump.

"Jake and I are having a baby!" Peyton said with a soft smile. She looked over at Brooke and Lucas and saw their reactions, "Oh no! Oh my gosh no it's not yours Lucas I promise."

Lucas and Brooke both let out a sigh of relief. Brooke covered her mouth, "I'm sorry Peyton for going there!"

Peyton laughed and casually waved her hand in the air, "I would have reacted the same way!"

Lucas couldn't help but smile at the realization that Peyton's unborn child was not his. That was one tragedy he avoided.

"I'm happy for you P. Sawyer!" Brooke hugged her friend, "Now there are two selfish baby havers in my life, great." Everyone laughed.

"You're next I can feel it!" Haley smiled at Brooke. "We're sending waves of baby dust in your direction!" She playfully closed her eyes, touched her stomach with one hand, and the other waved at Brooke.

"I hope she's right!" Brooke thought to herself as she tried to hide the disappointment from her face.


	34. Chapter 34

"Go goodnight Honey! Don't stay up all night playing with your cousin, Jenny!" Brooke kissed Juliet's forehead.

Juliet turned to Jenny and giggled, "We won't mama!" She raced upstairs to her cousin's bedroom.

"Hey I mean it Miss Scott!" Brooke called after her daughter, "Go to sleep."

Brooke turned to Lucas, "Great team work there Luke!" She playfully teased him about his silence.

The kids were staying at Peyton's home while the adults were going home. Brooke was now comfortable confronting the cameras now that she had a press conference scheduled for the morning.

"Thank you for this Jake and Peyton!" Brooke released Lucas' hand to hug Peyton and Jake. "We'll swing by to pick them up after the press conference."

"Oh it's no problem! They seem like great kids." Jake nodded once.

"Don't let appearances fool you Jake! They are very sneaky!" Lucas said with a laugh.

"I've been doing this longer than you Luke!" Jake playfully reminded his old high school friend.

Jake and his high school girlfriend, Nicky, had Jenny while Jake was just a sophomore in high school and Nicky, a freshman in college. Nicky ran off and left Jake to raise Jenny on his own. Jake struggled to juggle raising Jenny with regular teenager hobbies like; sports and parties.

"Oh my gosh! He always pulls that one whenever someone tries to give him a tip on parenting!" Peyton rolled her eyes. "You'd think he was an old man!"

"I know how it feels Jake!" Haley whispered loudly to him as she went in to hug him. "They just don't get it!"

Brooke put her hands on her hips, "Excuse me? I've been a parent longer than any of you!" She playfully cleared her throat.

"Oh. My. Goodness!" Haley laughed.

"I'm just saying don't forget!" Brooke laughed and slid into the tan trench coat she wore over to Peyton's home. "You ready Luke?"

Lucas nodded once and hugged Jake, "See you tomorrow man!" He turned to Peyton and the two exchanged an awkward hug, "I really am happy for you Peyton."

Peyton smiled, "Thank you Luke! I assure you Juliet is in good hands!"

"James Lucas Scott it's time to go home!" Haley called out to her son.

Jamie came running down the stairs towards his mother, "Why can't I stay here with Jenny and Juliet?"

"Because your father is home and he said the worst is over!" Haley grabbed Jamie's hand, "Besides your daddy misses you and wants to see you."

"Oh daddy's home!" Jamie smiled from ear to ear, "Well let's go!"

Everyone laughed at Jamie's reaction.

"Say goodbye to your Aunt Peyton and Uncle Jake!" Haley nodded towards the smiling couple standing near the open front door.

"Bye Aunt Peyton and Uncle Jake!" Jamie gave both adults quick hugs before racing out the front door towards the car.

Peyton and Jake watched as their friends all gathered into the big black S.U.V parked in their tiny driveway. It wasn't until the car disappeared down the road that Jake closed the front door.

xoxo

"Finally we are home!" Brooke slid out of the tall wedges she had on and she plopped down face first onto her bed, "Bed I've missed you so much."

Lucas laughed and watched Brooke lie motionless in their bed. "I know it's been a long day for you!"

Brooke sighed heavily into the thick sheets, "Long doesn't even begin to describe it." She rolled over onto her side and propped her head up with her fist.

"I know I'm sorry!" Lucas got undressed and slid into the bed next to Brooke.

"But that helps!" She smiled and nodded towards his bare chest. "That actually helps a lot."

Lucas laughed and climbed underneath the sheets, "You're being very alluring!"

"I'm not the one lying in bed naked." Brooke slid out of the coat and dress she had on. She untied the scarf from her head and shook out her neat bun.

"Hey I have on boxers!" Lucas defended himself.

She laughed and tossed the sunglasses onto the side table near her side of the bed, "Naked is naked Lucas!" Brooke kissed him before climbing over him and lying down, "But I still like it so it's okay."

"Well I'm glad I have your approval." Lucas smiled.

Brooke was zoned out. She was thinking about losing her store after tomorrow's press conference. Lucas noticed Brooke's silence and looked down to see if she was asleep.

"Everything okay?" Lucas wrapped his arms around her.

Brooke looked up at him and shook her head, "I'm losing my store tomorrow Luke."

Lucas kissed the top of her auburn colored hair, "I know that store was your baby but maybe we can find something else!"

"I just want to be in it one more time without all of the cameras and reporters asking questions and invading my space." Brooke bit her bottom lip, "I'd give anything for that last moment."

"Maybe we can arrange for you to get that moment tomorrow after all the reporters leave." Lucas kissed her softly on her lips, "Goodnight Brooke!"

She watched him turn over and fall asleep. For hours she lied in bed and tossed and turned. The thought of losing her store was making her sick to her stomach. She looked over at her alarm clock and 3:00 AM was written across the surface in red lights. Lucas' snores filled the bedroom.

Brooke quietly climbed out of bed and got dressed. She wanted that last moment with her boutique right now. She grabbed her car keys and drove to her boutique. All of the lights were off but the door was unlocked. Brooke pulled opened the door and stepped inside. Before she could switch on the lights she heard someone in the store. It was too dark for her to see if who was there.

"Hello?" Brooke called out, "Millie? Is that you Millie?" She was praying that the person hiding in the darkness was her assistant, Millicent.

"Hello!" A deep voice greeted Brooke.

Brooke began to back away from the tall dark shadow standing in front of her. She turned to run but the shadow pulled her back into her store. She tried to scream but the dark shadow tossed her across the boutique like a doll. Brooke felt blood rushing into her mouth after being thrown. She sat up to cough up the blood but was soon knocked down again by the dark shadow. Brooke felt several blows to her face before her vision began to blur up.

"Hey!" Brooke heard Lucas' voice before passing out. "You back away from her! Get away from her or I swear to God I will murder you right now!"

Lucas woke up shortly after Brooke left. He knew where she had gone so he got into his car and drove to the store. When he pulled up he saw something being thrown so he called the police before going inside. He grabbed a metal bat that he always kept his in trunk.

The tall dark shadow began to rush toward Lucas but Lucas swung the heavy metal bat and connected with the shadow's chest. He continued to swing and connect to the shadow's body until the lights to the store turned on. Cops rushed the store and pointed their guns at Lucas, "Put the bat down son!"

"He beat my wife!" Lucas dropped the bat and slowly got down onto his knees. He watched Brooke's lifeless body as the cops searched him for anymore weapons. "Brooke!" He ran out of the store and towards her as they carried her body to a waiting ambulance. He climbed into the back of the ambulance and prayed over his fiancée's body.

"You're lucky you found her when you did! One more hit to the head and she would be dead." One of the paramedics said to Lucas as they worked on Brooke.

Lucas dropped his head and held onto Brooke's cold hand, "I'm so sorry Brooke!"

He reached out for her as they pulled her out of the ambulance. He ran after the paramedics who were pushing her body towards the emergency entrance. He was stopped by a waiting room nurse. "Sir you have to wait out here."

Lucas dropped to his knees as he watched the doors to the emergency entrance flap shut. He waited in the waiting room but not patiently. He called Haley and Nathan, Peyton and Jake, and his mother with the news of Brooke's attack. He managed to keep it together but once he made all of the phone calls he began to violently sob.

"There he is!" Haley ran over to her best friend and wrapped her arms around his shaking body, "How is Brooke?" She asked him as she gently rubbed his back.

"They won't let me see her!" Lucas cried into his friend's sweatshirt.

"Mr. Scott? Brooke Davis can now have visitors." A nurse mistakenly informed Nathan rather than Lucas.

Lucas stopped crying and rubbed his red eyes. "Is she okay?"

The nurse turned to Lucas, "She just woke up. She has an concussion, two very badly bruised eye sockets, and a few bruised ribs. They want to keep her over night because her concussion was very bad."

Lucas felt his knees getting weak as he began to make his way towards Brooke's room.

"We'll be out here!" Nathan called out to his big brother.

He found Brooke's room and took a deep breath before walking into the hospital room. "Brooke?"

Brooke was turned away from the door to her room. "Luke?" She turned quickly and let out a loud cry of pain when she did.

"I'm here Brooke!" He raced to her side, "I'm here!" He gently kissed her forehead and Brooke winced at the pain from him touching her face.

"You've been crying!" Brooke reached up to touch his pale face.

Lucas smiled sadly down at his badly beaten fiancée, "I was worried about you! I was afraid I'd lose you forever. I was afraid you would never wake up." He fought back the urge to cry.

"I wouldn't miss our wedding day for anything! Nor would I miss the chance to see you and Juliet again or the chance to give you more babies Lucas Scott!" Brooke smiled and took his hand in both of hers. "I'm okay Luke!"

"You don't look okay Brooke." Lucas said quietly.

Brooke dropped his hand and gently let her index finger graze over the bruises on her face. She winced at the pain and her ice cold touch to her warm face.

"Did they catch whoever did this to me?" Brooke asked him.

Lucas nodded slowly, "I caught him first."

She gasped loudly and pushed the urge to cry out in pain from her bruised ribs, "How badly did you hurt him Luke?"

"I don't know yet but last time I saw him he was bleeding pretty badly." Lucas dropped his head, "I was just so angry. I took it all out on his face and body."

"Like he did to me?" Brooke grabbed Lucas' hand again, "He deserved it so don't feel bad."

A knock sounded on the door. A police officer poked his head into the door, "Mr. Scott can I have a few words with you. We have someone here to keep Miss Davis company while you're away."

Haley walked into the room with a sad smile as she took in the sight of her battered and bruised friend. "Oh Brooke!" She took Lucas' spot next to the bed. "How is it that you're so bruised but still so pretty? Darn you Brooke Davis!" She laughed softly.

Brooke laughed and held her side, "Don't make me laugh Haley!"

Lucas walked out of the room and stepped aside with the police officer. "We have an update on the suspect. While we were checking him we found the state i.d of a Quentin Fields. Mr. Fields had been shot in the head and killed earlier this evening."

Lucas clutched the breast of his shirt with his hand, "Quentin is dead?"

The office nodded slowly, "I'm sorry Mr. Scott. We found the body at a local gas station."

Lucas punched the hard white wall behind him and he sank to his knees. Nathan was standing nearby witnessing everything and raced over to his big brother.

"Is everything okay?" Nathan helped his brother back onto his feet.

"Who are you?" The police officer questioned.

"I'm Nathan Scott! I'm his brother." Nathan kept his grip on Lucas to keep him steady.

"Did you know a Quentin Fields?" The police officer held up a picture of the dead teen.

Nathan nodded once, "I coached him and my wife taught him. Why? Did something happen to him?"

"I'm afraid so. Quentin Fields was shot dead just a few hours ago in a convenient store." The police officer informed Nathan.

Tears instantly began to fill Nathan's brown eyes as he shook his head, "No!" He let out a frustrated sigh as the tears began to cascade down his cheeks.

"Is your wife around?" The police officer asked.

Nathan nodded toward the hospital room, "I'll tell her."

The police office patted Nathan firmly on the shoulder, "I'm sorry!" He turned to leave.


	35. Chapter 35

"Rise and shine!" Lucas smiled over at Brooke. He'd only woken up five minutes before her but it gave him a few minutes to watch Brooke sleep. "Good morning!" He got up from the small cot he had in the corner of Brooke's hospital room and walked over to Brooke.

"Good morning!" Brooke smiled wide and reached up to him. Her sides were still tender from her bruised ribs but they were numb to pain due to her regularly taking the pain medicine prescribed to her.

Lucas bent down and kissed Brooke's forehead. It was one of the few spots on her body that had not been bruised during the brutal attack, "How are you feeling?" He stood back and examined her bruises. It still sent chills up his spine to see how bruised and battered she was.

"I feel great! I'm actually feeling pretty good." Her smile was slightly dazed from the pain killers flowing through her i.v.

He laughed and sat down on the bed, careful not to adjust her comfortable position, "You sure you still want to go through with this press conference? You know you don't have to if you don't want too!"

"Luke I want to!" Brooke began to slowly sit up in the stiff hospital bed. She winced at the tenderness in her movements. "I'm finally ready to let it all go. I'm pretty sure that creep is sleeping fine while I'm here tossing and turning afraid of him getting out and getting to me again."

Lucas smiled, "You are one amazing woman, Brooke Davis."

"I know!" Brooke smiled and gave her shoulders a stiff shrug.

Lucas laughed and shook his head, "I'll go check on your breakfast and go get us some coffee."

Brooke nodded once and rested against the three pillows resting behind her. "Don't take too long!" She was still afraid to be alone and Lucas seem to have a calming effect on her.

"I won't! Haley and Nathan should be here soon with Juliet and Jamie so you won't be alone for long I promise." Lucas left the room.

Brooke watched the door slowly swing close behind him. She bit down on her busted bottom lip. She was nervous about how her daughter was going to act when she saw how rough her mother looked. The nerves didn't have time to set in because soon after Lucas' departure from the room, Haley walked in; behind her trailed Juliet, Jamie, and Nathan.

"Hey Brooke! How you feeling?" Haley walked over to Brooke's bed side.

"I'm feeling pretty good just hungry!" Brooke looked down at her frightened daughter, "Hey baby girl!"

Juliet stood behind Nathan's leg. She peeked around Nathan's body and up at her mother. "Momma what happened?" Juliet slowly walked around her uncle and climbed onto the bed her mother was lying in.

"Someone tried to hurt momma really badly!" Brooke explained to her daughter, "Daddy saved me before it could get any worse."

Juliet's petite hands flew up to her pink cheeks, "Who would want to hurt you momma?"

"A really bad man but he is locked away now so he can't hurt me again." Brooke brushed her daughter's bangs from her eyes. "We're safe now."

"Well if we ever catch him we're gonna get him for you Aunt Brooke!" Jamie put his fist in front of his face. "You will always be safe with us here!"

Brooke laughed and fought the urge to hold her sides. "Thank you Jamie Scott!" She blew a kiss to her god son.

The door to the cold white room opened and Lucas appeared with a dozen red roses in his hand.

"I brought you a little present!" Lucas smiled and handed Brooke the bunch of red roses. "And it's not the roses."

Brooke tilted her head to the side, "Then what is it?" She lied the red roses onto her stiff sore legs.

The door to the room opened again and Victoria Davis walked in with Karen Scott. Everyone's mouths dropped open as the two women walked into the room together.

"Oh Brooke!" Victoria greeted her daughter with a gentle hug, "You look terrible."

Brooke laughed and shook her head, "Thanks mom for boosting up my ego! That was so nice of you!" She said sarcastically.

Victoria laughed and brushed a few strands of hair from her daughter's bruised face, "You know you are always beautiful so I should never have to tell you have to tell you how beautiful you are but if you need to hear it then…" She cleared her throat, "Brooke Davis you look absolutely beautiful."

"I agree 100%! Brooke you look amazing despite everything you've been through over the past twenty-four hours." Karen smiled at Brooke, "Now I heard I had a granddaughter named Juliet!" She turned her attention to the small girl sitting on the bed with Brooke. "Is that you?"

Juliet smiled and nodded, "I'm Juliet Amarie Scott!"

Karen smiled down at the five year old, "Well I'm Karen Scott. Your father is my son so that makes me your grandma."

Juliet gasped loudly, "You're my Grandma Karen?"

Brooke and Lucas talked with Juliet about Lucas' mother almost every night during bath time. They wanted to make sure Juliet knew all about her grandmother before she actually met her.

"Yes I am! May I have a hug pretty girl?" Karen opened her arms wide for her granddaughter.

Juliet threw her body forward into her grandmother's arms, "I have two grandmas!"

Everyone's hearts melted at the sight of Karen finally meeting Juliet. Everyone had tears in their eyes as they watched the two embrace in a prolonged hug.

xoxo

"You ready for this Brooke?" Victoria turned to her daughter. The two women stood behind a purple curtain that was set up to divide the front of the store from the back of the store.

Brooke had been released from the hospital early in the afternoon. She went immediately to the boutique and got ready for her press conference. Victoria hired a cleanup crew to fix up the store so it looked as if the attack never happened. Seeing the store back to normal messed with Brooke's head a bit.

"I'm ready!" Brooke smiled nervously underneath her big black sunglasses. Brooke insisted on wearing little to no makeup so she could reveal what happened to her during the attack to the reporters. The reporters had gotten wind of Brooke's attack but none of them focused on the attack.

"You're up Brooke." Millicent turned away from talking to her boyfriend, Mouth "Marvin" McFadden.

Victoria gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze, "You got this Brooke!"

Brooke smiled and sighed to relax herself. She looked over at Lucas who was standing with his mother and Juliet. He winked at her and smiled. That was all she needed to relax before going out in front of the press.

She turned and walked out to the front of her store where chairs had been set up for the reporters to sit. A podium was set up in the front of the store with a microphone. Brooke took her place behind the brown wooden podium. Cameras immediately started to flash around her. She blinked a few times to adjust her vision to the bright lights going off around the room.

"Thank you all for coming today! I am fully aware of the headlines about Clothes over Bros going bankrupt and about me being guilty of tax evasion. I'm here to clear up any confusion any of you may have towards these two headlines. Clothes over Bros is being sold due to issues with sales and profits leading to bankruptcy. As for the tax evasions rumors they are not true, I have not been charged for tax evasion because I have not done such a thing." She took a deep breath and looked around the packed room. "It deeply saddens me that my company is suffering so greatly but what also saddens me is how hungry you are for a story; how far you will go to get information. My family and friends have been hounded by reporters and cameras for the past twenty-four hours. We are not an experiments or research projects. We are human beings." Brooke took the large sunglasses off of her blackened eyes.

A loud gasp filled the room as Brooke revealed her battered appearance. Cameras began to click and flash faster than they had been. Reporters held their tape recorders higher in the air.

"I am a human being and last night I was attacked in my store in this very spot. I was thrown around like a rag doll but none of you seem to care about my well-being and that saddens me. You care more about my short comings than me! I am Brooke Davis and I am the creator of Clothes over Bros but most importantly I am a mom and a wife and a human being." Brooke turned and left the podium.

The reporters in the audience remained silent as they watched Brooke walked way in shock. The cameras stopped flashing and the feeling of shame filled the air. Brooke's speech and appearance brought to life the harshness of the media. Everyone in the room felt truly sorry for Brooke.

"You did amazing! You can just feel the tension in the air!" Victoria carefully rubbed her daughter's arm.

Brooke smiled and looked back out to the front of the boutique, "I'm proud of myself."

"You should be! You did great!" Lucas kissed her lips. "We're all proud of you."

Karen and Juliet both nodded in agreement. "We wanted to scream go momma!" Karen said with a quiet laugh, "But we thought that might be a tad bit inappropriate."

Brooke laughed, "I wish you would have! It would have given me a reason to smile out there."

"We will next time!" Juliet promised her mother.

"I don't think there will be a next time honey." Brooke kissed her daughter' forehead. "The next speech I give will be at the wedding!" She felt a sense of relief, the media was now off of her back and her story was out there. Brooke felt strong and powerful even now at her weakest.

"Brooke Davis is going to change the world some day and I don't think she even knows it yet." These words rang through Brooke's head. These were written about her by her fiance. Lucas saw Brooke's potential in high school and was still standing by her side encouraging her to keep moving forward no matter how tough it was going to get. She knew she could count on always looking over find Lucas standing there cheering her own.

"I love you Lucas Scott, you know that?" Brooke looked up at him with such love in her eyes.

"I love you too Brooke Davis!" He kissed her softly on her pink lips. "I always will."


	36. Chapter 36

"What are we doing back here?" Brooke whispered into Lucas' ear as they pulled into the driveway of Lucas' little blue home. She agreed to let Karen, Andy, and Lily stay in the house during their stay in Tree Hill.

"I don't know!" Lucas kissed her forehead. He still felt the need to be very careful whenever he touched her even if the touch was a simple kiss.

Karen looked back at her son and soon to be daughter-in-law, "I can hear you two whispering back there!" She laughed and shook her head, "I know you told us we can stay here but Andy and I decided not to put you out especially with Brooke being in such a fragile state."

Brooke pouted and looked down at her bruised arms, "I'm fragile?" She thought a loud.

Everyone chose to ignore her question because they were afraid of her reaction if they answered yes. Karen pulled out the house keys Lucas had given to her at Brooke's press conference.

"Now let's all go have a nice family dinner and at the end of the night Andy, Lily and I will leave to go stay at a nearby hotel." Karen smiled and tossed her son the keys, careful not to hit Brooke.

"Guys are you sure about this?" Lucas stuffed the car keys into his coat pocket and looked back and forth between his mom, Karen, and his stepfather, Andy.

Karen nodded slowly and smiled.

"Of course we're sure! If you saw the hotel room you wouldn't feel bad mate!" Andy's Australian accent filled the large S.U.V the family was now sitting in.

"Aw thank you guys!" Brooke squealed. Everyone laughed at her hoarse squeal.

Nathan, Haley, and Jamie arrived at the Lucas and Brooke's home shortly after Jake and Peyton arrived with Jenny. Karen, Brooke, Haley, and Peyton were now all settled in the kitchen each woman helping prepare something for the night's dinner.

"So what are you going to do about the wedding coming up in two weeks?" Haley asked Brooke as the two women worked on an apple pie together.

"I'm thinking about pushing back the wedding but only just a week! Almost everyone invited lives here in Tree Hill so I'm hoping it wouldn't be a problem. I just don't want to be a bruised up fugly bride." Brooke licked some apple from her finger.

"Oh Brooke you could never be ugly!" Karen gently hugged Brooke, "Even with bruises you would still be the most beautiful bride."

"Hey! Let's not forget both Peyton and I are both married so we were once brides." Haley playfully teased.

Brooke rolled her brown eyes, wincing a bit at the pain. "You never like to be left out!" She playfully teased her friend. She stuck her tongue out at her.

"Okay you can have the title of most beautiful bride!" Haley pretended to take a crown off of her head and place it on Brooke's. "Congrats to my beautiful friend," Haley air kissed Brooke and laughed.

"That baby in there is really making you silly!" Brooke touched Haley's baby bump.

Peyton took the apple pie from her friends and slid it into the oven. "Wouldn't it be cool if we all were pregnant at the same time?" She turned away from the hot oven and to her two friends.

Brooke's hands flew up to her bruised chest, "That would be amazing! It looks like I have six months to get pregnant." She playfully wiped the non-existent sweat from her forehead, "The pressure is on!"

All four women laughed. "Whenever you do have a baby…" Karen stepped toward Brooke and gently touched her flat stomach, "We will all be over the moon. So there is no pressure just love!"

"Lots of love and tons of baby dust!" Haley added with a wide smile.

Brooke felt tears building in her eyes, "Thank you so much!" She wrapped her arms around Karen and hugged her tightly, ignoring the pain shooting up her bruised sides.

"You just have to promise me one thing!" Karen looked deep into Brooke's brown eyes, "You can't hide this grandchild from me! I want to actually know about this one!" She teased her.

All four women laughed. Lucas walked into the kitchen, "It smells good in here!" He followed his nose to a bowl full of rolls sitting on the oven. "Oh!" He stuck his hand in to retrieve a roll.

Karen hit her son's hand, "Lucas Scott I taught you better than that! Wash your hands and tell everyone dinner is ready."

Haley laughed behind Karen, "Oh if this isn't déjà vu!" Haley worked in Karen's Café since she was sixteen years old. Karen and Lucas would have dinner at the café every night after closing and Haley would always join them at the table.

"That reminds me!" Karen turned to Haley, "Thank you so much for keeping the café up and running for me! You really didn't have to do that."

"Are you kidding? That place is my home!" Haley smiled brightly at Karen. "Of course I have to keep it up."

Brooke had been in the corner kissing and whispering to Lucas when she heard them bring up Karen's Café, "I might need a job now Hales so I hope you're hiring an ex-fashion designer!"

Haley laughed, "Well of course Brooke! There will always be room for you."

Lucas and Brooke exchanged a deep look and Brooke turned to her friends.

"Well I was going to wait to tell you all this but I got a job offer." Brooke informed everyone standing around her in the kitchen. "The company who bought Clothes over Bros wants me to stay on as a partner and designer."

Everyone except Lucas let out a loud and audible gasp.

"That's great Brooke!" Haley gently hugged her friend, careful to avoid any of Brooke's injuries. "I'm so happy for you."

"Congrats! B. Davis is still in business!" Peyton rubbed her friend's bruised arm. "You deserve this! I know how passionate you were about Clothes over Bros!"

Brooke smiled, "Well you might not think it's great after hearing the rest of the news." She looked to Lucas who gave her a steady nod, "We are moving to New York after the honey moon!"

Everyone's mood quickly shifted from happy to great sadness.

"Oh I'm gonna miss you!" Haley hugged Brooke again, "My baby girl won't have here Aunt Brooke there every day to help her dress like a chic diva!" She pouted her full lips.

"Oh. My. God! It's a girl?" Brooke squealed at her friend's stomach, "I'm gonna have a niece?"

"Well you're gonna have two nieces!" Peyton cleared her throat and cradled her stomach, "Jake and I are having a girl too."

Brooke's hands flew up to her thin pink lips, "Oh Luke!" She turned to her fiancé, "We are so coming back to Tree Hill every weekend to see my nieces!"

Lucas laughed and nodded, "Of course! I'd go crazy if we didn't." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Well I'm happy for you guys!" Karen smiled, "But remember there is only one Tree Hill and this is will always be your home." She gave them both a soft kiss on the cheek.

"I think that is the best advice I've gotten in a long time!" Brooke felt herself about to cry, "I'm gonna miss moments like this."

Everyone just finished their meals and the adults had gathered in Lucas' living room to sit around and chat while the kids played out front. Brooke stood away from the crowd and just took in the moment and setting.

"Brooke, is everything okay?" Lucas noticed he hadn't heard from her in a while. His shifted his body on the couch so he was facing her.

Brooke nodded and a tear fell down her hot cheeks, "I'm going to miss moments like this!" She motioned with her hand around the fill room. "This is my family Luke. This is my home!" She looked down at her bare feet and she began to cry, "I don't want to give this up!"

Lucas jumped over the couch and wrapped his arms around her, "Babe don't cry! We're not giving any of this up! Remember we're coming home to Tree HIll every weekend to have moments just like this!"

She buried her bruised face into his muscular chest, "Promise once we're gone we're going to actually make plans to come back regularly."

Lucas kissed the top of her auburn colored curls, "I promise to drag you back to Tree Hill kicking and screaming."

Brooke laughed and looked up at him, "I love you Lucas Scott!"

"I love you too pretty girl." He kissed her but their sweet moment together was interrupted by Haley joining in on their hug. The couple hadn't realized that everyone in the room had stopped to watch them.

"That was so cute!" Haley squealed at her friends, "You two were meant to be together and that moment between the two of you just made it clearer than ever!"

Nathan began to pull his pregnant wife away from the couple, "Hales did you really have to mess up their moment like that?" He said with a laugh.

"I just wanted them to know how cute I think they are together." Haley wiped a few tears from her rosy round cheeks.

"Save it for the toast at the wedding, maid of honor!" Lucas smiled down at his petite best friend. "Channel all of this emotion into giving an amazing speech."

Haley's eyes lit up at the thought of their wedding, "Good idea Luke!" Everyone laughed at Haley's reaction to the couple's sweet and tender moment together.

"Speaking of toast," Andy had a glass of red wine in his hand, "I'd like to present a toast to the happy couple before we all depart for the night. I know you're all pregnant so water is fine in this toast!"

Everyone grabbed the drinks they had been sipping on all night and raised them into the air.

"I'd like to formally congratulate the happy couple on getting engaged and soon getting married! Brooke I've only known you for a short amount of time but I can already see how happy you make Lucas. I can see it in the way he lovingly watches over you and it is written all over his face whenever you looks at you. He makes this goofy grin everything you say something funny or do something he thinks is adorable." Andy tried to make the face Lucas makes around whenever he was around Brooke. Everyone laughed at Andy's mocking tactics.

"I'm only kidding mate relax!" He gave Lucas a solid pat on the shoulder, "I'm sure I speak for everyone in this room when I say we are all very happy you two found each other again and ended up together. I hope your lives are filled with so much happiness and joy and many children. Cheers!" Andy raised his glass over his head.

"Cheers!" Everyone shouted as they raised their glasses of water and soda into the air.


	37. Chapter 37

"Momma and daddy will be back soon! You be good for your Grandma Karen." Brooke was kneeling on the ground in front of her daughter.

"Why can't I go say goodbye to Quentin too?" Juliet looked up from her coloring pages.

Brooke didn't know how to answer her daughter's question. She felt that it would be important for Juliet to witness the process of grief so it doesn't take her by surprise when the time comes for her to grief. Haley and Nathan were both bringing Jamie because of Jamie's close connection to Quentin Fields.

She got up from her kneeling position on the wooden floor and walked back into her bedroom to find Lucas. She found him standing in front of the full length mirror in their closet.

"Luke I think we should let her go and say goodbye to Quentin. She loved that boy!" Brooke began to help Lucas put on his suit jacket.

Today was such a tragic day for Lucas. He was saying goodbye to one of his beloved players and although Quentin and Lucas started off on a bad note they ended as friends.

He started putting on his tie, "You think that is such a good idea?" Lucas kept his eyes down on his black tie.

"I think it is! She is about to turn six and what if I would have died in that attack…" Brooke trailed off; flashing back to the night she was attacked in her store. She could still see the dark shadow of Xavier running towards her.

"Brooke, don't think like that!" Lucas ripped his tie from around his neck and threw it onto the bed.

"We have to think like that Lucas! I almost died two weeks ago and my daughter would have been thrown into this world of pain and grief and she wouldn't have known what to do with it. By us letting her go to this funeral and say goodbye to Quentin we are letting her get a little look into this world so when the day comes she won't be so shaken up."

Brooke picked up Lucas' tie and slipped it around his neck. "You okay?" She tied his tie around his neck for him and ran her hand over it to smooth it out.

Lucas sighed heavily and dropped his head, "No! I thought I would be okay but I'm not!" Tears filled to the brim of his eyes. "I'm going to miss Quentin Fields. He was so talented and so young. His death is such a tragedy."

Brooke pulled Lucas into her sore arms; although her bruises were starting to fade she was still tender. "Luke this day is for letting all of that go! You can't keep that pinned up and pretend like you're okay."

He began to sob into his chest, tears staining the breasts of her black dress.

Brooke was struggling with this in an entirely different way. She didn't understand why she was so lucky to get a second chance and to be able to live through her attack but Quentin's second chance was snatched from his cold hands. She held in her tears and focused on comforting Lucas.

"It's okay Luke!" She gently rubbed his back as he continued to sob into her black designer dress.

Lucas pulled away and looked into her eyes, "Thank you so much for coming with me Brooke! I know you didn't know Quentin well…"

She smiled sadly, "You're welcome! I feel this sad connection to Quentin because he is the only person who actually gets what I'm going through 100% except he died during his attack..." She stopped herself before she began to cry.

The couple arrived at the church where the funeral service was being held with Juliet. Haley and Nathan brought Jamie to the service so Juliet sat with her sad cousin in the church. Juliet had only known Quentin briefly before his death but he always referred to her as his little sister.

During the service Lucas managed to hold himself together by keeping a hold on Brooke's hand and giving it tight squeezes throughout the service. But now that they were at the funeral home and burying Quentin, Lucas felt himself slowly getting weaker. He kept Brooke close by his side and he was began to feel Brooke's shivers as they watched Quentin's family say their final goodbye to Quentin.

Brooke was holding in her anger and sadness as hard as she could. She had her designer black shades over her bruised eyes as she watched Quentin's mother sink to her knees by her son's casket. _"If only that were me instead of him, these people wouldn't be hurting like this!" _She thought to herself.

Juliet stood next to Jamie comforting the sad four year old. She kept hold of his tiny little hand and whispered praises to him to keep him standing. "You're doing great Jamie!" Juliet was as strong as her mother and was able to stand without shedding a tear.

Haley stood biting down on her quivering bottom lip as she fought back her tears. She spent the whole service at the church crying into Nathan's shoulder. Nathan had been able to remain strong during the service but like his big brother he was becoming weak to his emotions.

The Tree Hill Ravens' basketball team all lined up around Quentin Fields' grave as they said a final goodbye to their team mate. No one in the watching crowd could hold back their tears as they watched Quentin's former team mates bow their heads in respect of their teammate.

Lucas wiped a tear from his eyes with his thumb as he watched Quentin's little brother join the team and put on Quentin's old basketball jersey. Brooke's shivers came faster as she watched the little boy, she felt as if she'd taken his big brother from him.

This was the end of the funeral so everyone began to leave and head back to their cars but Jamie stayed put.

"Hey Jamie what's the matter?" Brooke kneeled down to her god son.

"I want to give Quentin this cape!" Jamie held out a tiny brown box. "Since you made the cape will you give it to him with me?"

Brooke smiled sadly but nodded, "I sure will buddy!"

She took Jamie by the hand and led him back to Quentin's closed casket. She watched in silence as the young boy pulled the red cape from the tiny brown box he had been carrying around all day. Jamie spread the cape out over the casket and took his place at his Aunt Brooke's side.

Brooke peeled off her black shades and slid them into her matching black purse. She felt a wall breaking down inside of her as she stared at the casket now covered with a red cape with the letter Q sewn onto the back.

She began to cry. _"This could have been me! This should have been me and not Quentin!" _She thought to herself as she began to sob violently. Her body began to shake with her cry.

Jamie stood solid and silently next to his Aunt Brooke. "It's okay Aunt Brooke! Quentin is resting in peace now!" He grabbed her hand to comfort her.

Lucas, Juliet, Haley, and Nathan all watched this with tears in their eyes and lumps forming in their throats. Lucas took Juliet's arms and led the five year old over to her mother.

"Momma it's okay!" Juliet reached out and hugged her shaking mother.

Brooke took her daughter into her quivering arms and nodded, "I know baby!" Her sobs became quiet as she accepted her daughter's embrace.

Juliet climbed out of her mother's arms and hugged her cousin, "You did great Jamie. I'm sure Quentin is happy you gave him his cape to wear in heaven!"

Lucas wrapped his arms around Brooke and the couple began to silently cry together. This was a great loss for them both but in very different ways.

Nathan turned to his wife and at the sight of her tears he began to break down. Haley looked up at a crying Nathan and pulled him closer to her. "We all loved him Nathan, it is okay to cry!"

The family stood around Quentin's casket and cried together. They released all of their pain into one another's arms; all of them dealing with Quentin's death in similar yet different ways.

"Quentin Fields was a basketball player, a brother, a son, and a great friend. They say he had a loving heart and that he gave his heart to everyone and everything in his life. I didn't know Quentin Fields and I guess now I never will. I will never get to experience the grace he held while playing the sport he loved so much. I will never get to experience being a great friend to the loss star." A dark haired classmate of Quentin's took in the sight of the family gathered around his casket. "Although I didn't know him I am jealous of him. His absence has affected the people who did know him so greatly." The dark haired girl smiled sadly at the sobbing family and turned to leave the grave yard with her friend.

"You sure you don't want to go say hey Sam?" The girl's friend asked her.

Samantha Walker shook her head, "I recognize those people. I stole from one of them and I don't think they would be too happy to see me right now!" She looked back at Brooke and smiled sadly. "They deserve this moment to themselves." She disappeared from the grave yard.


	38. Chapter 38

"Rise and shine bride-to-be!" Haley plopped herself down onto Lucas and Brooke's bed.

Lucas spent the night with his brother so his brother and his friends could throw him a bachelor party and Brooke's friends could throw her a bachelorette party a few nights before their actual wedding.

Brooke groaned loudly as the sun begin the shine in her face. "Am I alive?" Her head was pounding. She pulled her pillow over her hot face.

Haley laughed and snatched the pillow from Brooke's face, "Yes honey and you have your dress rehearsal in a few hours so it's time to get up!"

Brooke and her friends all went out last night. They started their night off with massages and manicures at a spa but got bored and decided to bar hop for the rest of the night. The group of women got drunk after Haley and Peyton, both pregnant, excused themselves from the wild party.

"You stink Brooke! You need a shower!" Haley pinched her nose and hit Brooke with the pillow, "Get up!"

"Okay. Okay." Brooke rose up from her bed and the room began to spin, "Whoa!" She held her head and found the fake veil she wore last night still on her head. "I haven't been hung over since high school."

Haley laughed, "Do you not know how wrong that sounds? Most people say college!"

Brooke frowned and thought about her sentence but shrugged, "I had a baby in high school! I had no time to party in college." She gasped, "Where is Juliet?"

"She is with Peyton and Jamie at Peyton's place." Haley handed Brooke a glass of water. "It looks like you girls went hard last night after Peyton and I left."

Brooke nodded slowly and took the glass of ice water from Haley, "I can barely remember anything. But I remember drunk dialing Lucas and him coming to the bar to check in on me." She went to sit the glass of water down on her side table when she noticed the large fake ring on her finger where her engagement ring should be, "I miss my ring!"

"Well where is it?" Haley asked as she peeled off the sheets from Brooke's musty bed.

Brooke pouted and slid the fake ring off of her finger, "I remember giving it to Lucas after he came to the bar. I drunk dialed him crying about almost losing my ring!" She laughed with embarrassment, "He came to the bar to get the ring from me and keep it safe so I wouldn't lost it."

"Aw!" Haley began to strip the pillows of their cases, "You two are so cute that it makes me sick!"

"That is exactly how everyone feels about you and Nathan! Naley!" Brooke laughed and took off the fake veil, tossing it onto the floor of her bedroom. "Ew! Who had on a boa?" She picked up her feet and peeled off a few sticky pink feathers from her bare feet.

Haley laughed and pointed at her, "When I left the spa with Peyton you had the boa on! Millicent gave it to you to wear with all of the other bridal stuff."

Brooke frowned and turned to Haley, "What are you doing?"

"It may be my hormones or the pregnancy but this room stinks and I am getting nauseous!" Haley picked up the sheets but held them at an arm's length, "I'm just cleaning up so I can actually stand in here without vomiting." She walked out of the room and popped the sheets in the dryer.

Brooke followed Haley out of the bedroom. On her couches were Haley's sister, Quinn, her assistant, Millicent, and Juliet's teacher, Lauren. The women were all just starting to wake up from their long night out with Brooke.

As Quinn appeared from underneath a pillow Brooke noticed the smeared make-up around Quinn's lips. Brooke covered her mouth to keep herself from laughing at the woman.

"Quinn honey go wash your face, please!" Haley said to her sister. Brooke couldn't hold back her laughter anymore. "What are you laughing at? You have boa pieces stuck in your ponytail!"

Brooke frowned and touched her hair with her hand, "Thanks for the warning!" She raced into her bathroom to take a shower. A brown skinned, dark haired girl was lying in her bathtub. "What the hell?" She screamed.

The girl lying in her bathtub was the new model for Clothes over Bros. Since Brooke was still on as a designer for the line she got a say so in who the face of the company was. She chose the trouble actress and model, Alex Dupre. The model surprised Brooke at the spa and Brooke invited her to stay.

Alex began to wake up, "Oh hey Brooke!" She smiled lazily up at Brooke.

"Alex?" Brooke pulled the girl out of the tub, "Why are you in the tub?"

Alex looked around the white bathroom and shrugged, "I don't even know!" She climbed out of the tub with Brooke's help and stumbled toward the door of the bathroom. "I honestly don't remember anything."

"Aren't you supposed to be sober?" Brooke began to brush the boa pieces out of her now brown hair.

"Aren't you supposed to be married?" Alex frowned at her bad comeback and shook her head. "I'll be sober after last night. I think I went a little too hard last night." She held her head and stumbled out of the bathroom.

"Keep her off of my bed!" Brooke pointed to the drunk girl who plopped herself down on Brooke's sheet-less bed. She closed the door and took a long thorough shower. She climbed out of the shower and got dressed, "I miss my engagement ring!" She whined as she slid into her brown flats to match her brown sweater.

Haley shook her head, "Well you'll see Lucas in like an hour so don't pout!" She rubbed her friend's back.

All of Brooke's bruises had healed and her ribs were no longer sore. She had to push the wedding back two weeks from its original date so she could heal both physically and emotionally.

Brooke smiled and hugged her pregnant friend, "Thank you for cleaning up Hales!"

"You're lucky I'm feeling motherly and nauseated from the smells of liquor!" She hugged Brooke, "I found a lot of beads in the kitchen! What do you want me to do with them and where did they come from?"

"Oh that was from that cowboy bar we went to too last night!" Millicent waltzed clumsily into the room, "It's the last thing I remember! Brooke flashed her butt at the crowd and they threw us a bunch of beads! Then Alex flashed her boobs and I danced on the bar for more beads." She walked through the bedroom to the shower.

Haley laughed and turned to Brooke, "You flashed your booty? Do you remember that?"

Brooke had her hand over her mouth and she shook her head, "Oh no! I don't remember that at all!"

"Don't worry I'm sure Lucas won't stop the wedding over you flashing you little booty!" Haley nudged her friend and laughed. She got off of the bed and shook her butt for Brooke. "Do I get some beads too?" She teased playfully before leaving the bedroom.

"Oh!" Brooke heard her friend Lauren yell from the couch. She darted into the living room, "What is it?"

Lauren held up her iPhone and showed Brooke a picture of a fresh tattoo, "I titled it new tattoo but I don't have one!"

"Are you sure you don't have one?" Brooke asked.

Lauren nodded, "Trust me! I've checked every inch of my body and I don't have one."

Brooke began to search her body a tattoo but didn't find a new tattoo, "Well it isn't me!"

Quinn stuck out her sore tongue, "It isn't me! I got this." She pouted and turned to her sister, "Haley please take it out."

Haley flinched at the large tongue piercing, "Say please!"

"Haley!" Quinn squealed at her sister. Haley carefully took the large green piercing from her sister's tongue.

"OH. MY. GOD!" Millicent yelled from Brooke's bathroom.

Everyone raced into the small bathroom and found Millicent holding up her shirt and staring at her back in the mirror. A loud gasp echoed through the room.

"It was you that got the tattoo!" Brooke shook her head. "A boot Millicent?"

"I was drunk Brooke!" Millicent frowned at the red tattoo of a boot on the bottom of her back.

"I am never drinking again." Brooke said matter-of-factually. "Never! Ever!"

"So how crazy did your bachelorette party get last night after I left?" Lucas whispered into Brooke's ear.

Brooke had been standing at the back of the church watching her two bridesmaids, Haley and Peyton practice walking down the aisle. Peyton had been a last addition to the wedding party after Brooke asked Lucas if it would be okay.

She turned and found Lucas grinning behind her, "It got so wild Luke! I don't even remember half of it." Brooke shook her head in shame. "All I remember is drunk dialing you about my ring."

Lucas pulled Brooke's newly cleaned engagement ring from the pocket of his coat, "I kept it safe just like you asked me too."

Brooke smiled and hugged him tightly, "I love you Lucas Scott!" She kissed him and took her ring back, sliding it onto her ring finger.

Lucas laughed, "I love you too silly girl."

"So what did you guys do last night?" Brooke kept her eyes on her sparkling diamond ring.

"We played poker and watched the game on TV." Lucas admitted, "Nothing crazy like you ladies!" He playfully teased his fiancée.

Brooke groaned and dropped her head, "I am so ashamed of last night!" She laughed.

"Mr. and Mrs. Scott!" The reverend called out to the couple. "May I have Lucas right here while you practice walking down the aisle?"

Lucas nodded once and sprinted up the aisle to take his place at the chapel. His excitement for his wedding making everyone in the church smile.

"Is anyone walking you down the aisle Brooke?" The reverend asked Brooke.

Brooke looked sadly down at her watch, her father was late. "Yes but he is running late so we can do it without him and fill him in tomorrow."

"I can be your stand in." Nathan offered from his place at the chapel next to his brother.

Brooke smiled widely and waved him over, "Thank you!" She whispered to him as he raced down the aisle to be at her side.

"Anytime!" Nathan smiled and offered Brooke his arm.

Brooke linked arms with Nathan and the pair made their way slowly up the aisle towards Lucas. Nathan joined Brooke and Lucas' hands together before taking his place again beside his brother.

"I can't wait to marry you Brooke Davis!" Lucas whispered over to her.

"It'll be Brooke Davis-Scott soon enough!" Brooke said with a bright smile.


	39. Chapter 39

"Good morning!" Juliet came out of her mother's bedroom and smiled, "Momma look like so pretty."

Brooke had her brown hair tied up into a top knot and she had no make-up on her face, "Thank you sweetie!" She kissed her daughter's cheek, "You look beautiful." She hugged her daughter and squeezed her tight.

"Good morning!" Karen walked into the kitchen. She'd spent the night with Brooke and Juliet since all of the boys were staying at Nathan and Haley's home.

"Good morning Grandma Karen!" Juliet raced and hug her grandmother's legs.

Brooke smiled and turned to pour herself a cup of coffee.

"Oh Brooke that coffee smells delicious." Victoria walked into the kitchen.

Brooke almost dropped her coffee mug when she heard her mother's voice. She gasped and turned to see her mother standing with her hands on her hips in the entry way to the kitchen.

"Mom!" She squealed and hugged her mother, "What are you doing here?"

Victoria squeezed her daughter, "They dropped the case due to corrupt evidence so I will be able to see my beautiful daughter walk down the aisle today." She smiled.

"I'm so glad you're going to be there!" Brooke felt herself about to cry but Victoria stopped her.

"I will not allow you to have big puffy eyes on your wedding day so no crying!" Victoria gently rubbed her daughter's arms. "Now get your caffeine kick and let's head over to the church."

Brooke obeyed her mother and drank the coffee she'd poured for herself. Haley arrived at the church only shortly after Brooke. She found Brooke sitting in one of the bridal dressing rooms.

"Hey beautiful bride!" Haley opened the door to the room, "No make-up or hair done and you still make an amazingly beautiful bride!"

Brooke turned around in the chair she had been sitting in while nervously awaiting for her make-up artist to arrive. "Thank you Hales!" The two women embraced in a hug.

"Don't leave me out!" Peyton walked into the room, her belly leading the way.

Brooke smiled and hugged Peyton, "Hey preggers!" She touched Peyton's baby bump and then turned and touched Haley's growing baby bump. "Wouldn't it be romantic to get pregnant on the honey moon?!" Brooke said with a tender smile.

"Oh Brooke! That would be so cute." Haley laughed but a knock on the door interrupted the women's moment together. At the door was Jamie.

"What are you doing here?" Brooke asked her god son.

Jamie had just peeked through the door, "Uncle Lucas wanted me to make sure things were going smoothly over here."

Brooke kneeled down in front of Jamie. "You tell your Uncle Lucas that I love him and that everything is going great over on this end of the church."

"Roger that Aunt Brooke!" Jamie pulled out a walkie talkie from his suit pocket and pressed a button, "Everything is okay over here Uncle Luke, out." He darted back towards his Uncle's room.

"That boy is too cute!" Brooke smiled and stood up in time for the make-up and hair stylists to arrive through the door.

Brooke's hair was slicked back into a tight chic bun that was topped with a pearl head band while Haley and Peyton's hair was curled and left down to flow past their shoulders. All three women had very natural looking make-up done to their already beautiful faces.

"Brooke you look gorgeous!" Haley climbed out of her chair and hugged her best friend.

Brooke laughed and checked out her reflection in the mirror she had been seated in front of, "I do look good don't I?"

Peyton joined the women in front of the mirror, "You do!"

Brooke squealed and closed her eyes, "I can't wait to say I do to Lucas Scott and become Mrs. Brooke Penelope Scott!"

Haley began to tear up and Brooke saw the tears forming in Haley's eyes when she opened her eyes. Haley tried to fan the tears away but she began to cry.

"What's wrong Hales?" Brooke turned to her friend.

She shook her head and dabbed away the tears before they messed up her make-up, "My two best friends are marrying each other today after all this time! You look so beautiful and I'm sure he will look so handsome!"

Peyton began to tear up, "Oh great!" She snatched a few tissues from Brooke's make-up vanity.

Brooke looked back and forth between her two pregnant friends and she began to tear up, "You guys are gonna ruin my make-up!"

A flash and snap went off in the room and all three women stopped crying. Haley's sister, Quinn, was Brooke's wedding photographer.

"That was a beautiful moment! I just had to capture that on camera." Quinn pointed her camera and peeked through the view finder, "Gather together and smile for the camera."

The three women all hugged and laughed at the silliness of the moment. Quinn snapped the camera a few times before letting it hang around her neck, "I'll be back when you have your dress on!" She turned and left the dressing room.

Victoria and Karen both walked in after Quinn. "Speaking of wedding dresses!" Karen was holding Brooke's wedding gown in her hands.

Brooke squealed and took the dress from Karen, "Thank you so much!" Brooke hugged Karen and hung up the handmade wedding gown. She'd spent endless nights making her own wedding dress in the back of her boutique.

"Now get changed so we can all see the beautiful bride in her beautiful gown!" Victoria ordered her daughter before leaving. Karen followed behind Victoria as did Peyton and Haley.

Brooke called for Haley to come back into the room. Brooke had on her wedding dress but needed someone to help her zip it up. Haley walked back into the bridal dressing room dressed in her light pink bridesmaid's dress.

"Oh Haley you look so beautiful!" Brooke smiled at her friend.

"I was gonna say the same about you." Haley stopped at the door of the room and pouted.

Brooke shook her head, "Haley!"

"What?" She took a deep breath.

"Don't make me cry again!" Brooke said with a laugh.

"I was just gonna tell you how much I love you Brooke Davis." Haley felt the tears coming back to her eyes. "I love you so much Brooke! You're like a little sister to me."

"That isn't going to keep me from crying!" Brooke grabbed a tissue and gently dabbed at her wet eyes. "But I love you too Hales!" She hugged her friend. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me."

"Anytime!" Haley cried into a tissue.

The door opened and Victoria walked in. "Oh goodness! You're crying already?" Victoria stood with her hands on her hips. "Brooke, we have to hurry! They still have pictures they want to take of you in your dress before the wedding starts."

"I just came to help her zip up her dress!" Haley rushed around Brooke and began to zip up the dress for her. Once the dress was zipped Haley left the room.

"Is daddy here yet?" Brooke examined her white gown in the mirror. The belt was sitting perfectly around her waist and the tulle at the bottom of the gown was all in place.

Victoria watched her daughter with sadness, "I don't think he is coming Brooke. Last I heard he was still in California on the golf course."

Brooke frowned but didn't have time to cry about it because Quinn walked into the room.

"I came for some shots of you with your parents." Quinn picked up her camera and pointed it at Victoria and Brooke. She snapped a few pictures of the two. "Is your father joining us? I'd like to take some with you and him."

Victoria began to push Quinn out of the room, "He isn't coming. Go take some pictures of the flower girls and ring holder."

Brooke turned back to the mirror to hide her tears from her mother.

"Brooke Davis do not feel sorry for yourself!" Victoria stood behind her daughter in the mirror. "You are a beautiful bride who is marrying the man she loves and has a child with. It is your father's lose not yours!"

She smiled sadly and nodded slowly, "You're right!" She turned to her mother and hugged her, "Thank you."

Victoria hugged her daughter and fought back the urge to cry. "Nonsense. There is no need to thank me! Now are you ready to say I do?"

Brooke smiled, "I am so ready but only if you'll walk me down the aisle!"

Victoria smiled brightly at her daughter, "Of course I will!"

Victoria walked with Brooke to the double doors leading out to the chapel. Lily and Juliet were both assigned the position of flower girls and both girls graced the aisle with beautiful rose petals as they moved slowly through the aisles. Jamie followed the girls with the wedding bands resting on a white pearl encrusted pillow. Haley walked down the aisle with her husband Nathan and the two kissed before taking their places on two opposite ends of the chapel. Peyton and Jake followed behind and did the same thing.

"This is your time!"' Victoria whispered to her daughter before offering her arm to her daughter.

Brooke linked arms with her mother and clutched her bouquet of white Lilies. As Brooke and Victoria moved gracefully down the aisle, Brooke locked eyes with her groom. Lucas' breath was taken away at the sight of his beautiful bride. Brooke and Lucas were both glowing with happiness.

"Wow she looks beautiful." Lucas thought a loud.

"Aunt Brooke looks like an angel." Jamie agreed with his uncle.

In their heads the couple both thought back to the day Lucas proposed to Brooke. Brooke could still see Juliet's bright smile in her head like it was yesterday. _"Momma, daddy has something to ask you." _These words echoed through Brooke's head. _"I want to spend the rest of my life with you." _Her smile got noticeably wider as she recalled this memory. Lucas smirked happily as she thought back to the way Brooke cried when she accepted his proposal.

Victoria kissed Brooke's cheek when they finally reached the chapel. "Who gives this woman away to this man?" The reverend spoke up.

"I do!" Victoria helped Brooke up the stairs to Lucas before taking her seat in the first row.

Haley stepped forward and took Brooke's bouquet of flowers from her. Lucas took Brooke's hands into his own and he couldn't help but smile widely at his beautiful bride.

"When you're ready Lucas." The reverend nodded towards the groom.

Lucas smiled and felt himself tear up. He took a deep breath before delivering his vows, "Brooke Penelope Davis! I've waited for this day for a long time. One day a long time ago I lost you and I promise myself if I got a second chance that I'd hold on to you tight and never let you go again. I always have and I always will love and cherish you with every fiber of my being if you let me!"

He turned to Jamie and took Brooke's wedding band from his nephew. "This ring is my promise to forever be honest, open, loving, and caring. I promise to be the best husband I can be and the best father to our little girl and any children we have in the future." He smiled over to Juliet who waved back to her father. "I love you Brooke Davis!"

Brooke felt herself about to cry at Lucas' heart felt vows. The vows she had written for him had gone out the window. She wanted to address her husband from her heart.

"Lucas Eugene Scott!" She let out a soft laugh, "From the moment I saw you I saw my future. Before I met you my world was all about me but you gifted me with the most beautiful gift anyone could have."

She blinked to clear her tears, "You gave me my daughter and you gave me such a powerful and strong love. You loved me for me. You saw through all the walls I put up around myself and you saw me!"

Brooke took Lucas' wedding band from Jamie. "Lucas Scott you've taught me so much about love and what it is like to truly love someone and for someone to truly love you! This ring that I have for you symbolizes a long lasting love. A love that will never die. I love you Lucas Scott."

"Lucas Scott do you take Brooke Davis to be your wife? To have and to hold in sickness and in health? Until death does you apart?" The reverend asked Lucas.

Lucas slid Brooke's wedding band onto her ring finger and proudly said, "I do!"

"Brooke Davis, do you take Lucas Scott to be your husband? To have and to hold in sickness and in health? Until death do you apart?" The reverend asked Brooke.

"I do! Oh god I do!" Brooke pushed Lucas' ring onto his finger.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Scott you may now kiss Mrs. Scott!" The reverend stepped back from the couple.

"Finally!" Lucas took Brooke's face into his hands and kissed her soft pink lips. Their friends and family clapped and cheered for the happy couple. "I love you!"

"I love you too!" Brooke kissed Lucas' lips again and the two turned towards their family and friends.

The couple walked through the aisle and towards a bridal suite where they signed their marriage license to make their marriage official.

White vans carried the guests to a different venue for the party. Brooke and Lucas took a private white limo and arrived to the venue. Inside the venue was all white with accents of white lilies hanging from each table and sitting in corners throughout the room. The bridal table was a long table with a replica of Brooke's bouquet sitting in the middle in chairs labeled bride and groom.

"Attention ladies and gentleman." Mouth McFadden's voice came over the speakers, "The bride and groom have arrived and are on their way inside."

Moments later the double doors to the large white room opened up and Lucas and Brooke walked in. A rumble of cheers and well wishes rang throughout the room. Flower petals were being thrown towards the couple.

"You did an amazing job decorating all of this!" Lucas looked around.

Brooke smiled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze, "Thank you husband!"

"Oh I like the sound of that!" Lucas leaned down and kissed his bride.

"Well I'm glad!" She said against his lips, "Because you get to hear it for the rest of your life."

The song Halo by Beyonce began to play and the couple took to the white tiled dance floor for their first dance.

Lucas twirled Brooke around and caught her in his arms.

The couple moved gracefully around the dance floor as Brooke mouth the words to Lucas, _"It's like I found my angel now!"_ Brooke felt so lucky to have this day with Lucas. _"You know you're my saving grace."_ Brooke and Lucas embraced in a passionate kiss as their wedding guests looked on.

"Now if the bridal party will join the couple during their first dance." Mouth announced over the speaker.

Peyton and Jake walked onto the dance floor as well as Haley and Nathan. The three couples dances slowly to the love song coming through the speakers. Each woman sang the song to their husbands and each woman meant every word.

Brooke motioned for her daughter to join her while Peyton motioned for Jenny and Haley motioned for her son. Lucas brought his little sister out onto the dance floor and everyone enjoyed a dance with the kids to the song Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey.

"Momma you look so pretty in your dress!" Juliet smiled up at her mother.

"You look stunning in your little dress as well." Brooke picked up her daughter and twirled around with her in her arms.

"You got your speech ready?" Jamie asked his parents as his father spun him around.

"You bet you I do!" Haley smiled and danced with her two boys, her husband and her son.

"I'm glad you married Brooke!" Lilly said to her brother. "Jamie said she is a fun Aunt!"

Lucas laughed and danced with his little sister in his arms, "I'm glad you like her!"

The party moved on and the couple shared dances with their parents to the song Love on Top by Beyonce and they socialized among their friends and other family members. Brooke forgot about her father's absence very quickly.

It was nearing the end of the party and it was time for the speeches to be given. Haley decided she wanted to go first.

"Well!" Haley took the microphone and smiled at her two best friends, "Lucas and I have been best friends since preschool. He has always been like a big brother to me and I've always turned to Lucas for guidance and he to me. Well one day Lucas came to me about this girl named Brooke Davis. Brooke was the gorgeous head cheerleader and she was known for her crazy antics."

Brooke motioned with her two fingers to her eyes then Haley. Haley repeated the motion and continued with her speech. "Lucas said he liked Brooke but he didn't know what to do. I told him he was crazy for liking her because of everything we'd heard about her. Lucas turned to me that day and said 'Haley you're wrong about Brooke! There are two sides to Brooke and both sides are amazing.' Lucas was right."

Haley laid her hand on her heart, "One night I got a chance to hang out with Brooke and I got a glimpse of the real Brooke. Brooke Davis amazing, fun, smart, and beautiful! But she has the biggest heart I've ever known. She has become my best friend, next to Lucas and I'm so happy you two ended up together! I love you Brooke and you too Lucas! I know the rest of your lives will be filled with so much joy and happiness. I'm glad I get to witness such a great love."

Everyone applauded Haley after her speech and she took her seat. Brooke and Lucas kissed before Nathan took the microphone for his speech.

"As you all know Lucas is my big brother. Everyone also knows we didn't always get along with one another but one thing that did bring us together was Brooke Davis. She was so much fun and so hyper that our problems with one another seemed to disappear whenever she was around. Lucas would come to me and gush about how much he loved Brooke and I usually tone him out after the sixth man I love that girl!" Nathan laughed.

"Lucas was there for me when I married his best friend Haley and I'm honored that Lucas has allowed me to be there for him when he married one of my close friends Brooke. I know you two are meant for one another and I am up for a life time more of man I love that girl gush conversations as long as you're okay with me tuning you out after a while!"

Everyone laughed and applauded Nathan's speech. Brooke and Lucas took the microphone.

"We are so honored that all of you are here to support us!" Brooke said into the microphone, "This room is filled with so much love!"

Lucas agreed, "We hope you all are having a fun time and we want to say thank you for all of the well wishes and support and most importantly all of the love."

"Now the time has come for the last dance before the night is over and the newlyweds make their way to their lavish honey moon. The maid of honor and groomsman have chosen the song for the last dance. Since they know the couple so well." Mouth spoke through the microphone.

Mariah Carey's Vision of Love started to play and Brooke couldn't help but squeal. This was her favorite song. Lucas and Brooke waltzed onto the dance floor for the last time.

"You ready for our honey moon?" Lucas asked a glowing Brooke.

"Am I ready? The question is are you ready?" Brooke smiled and tenderly kissed Lucas. _"I feel so alive."_ She mouth the word to the song.

Towards the middle of the song Nathan and Haley joined Brooke and Lucas on the dance floor as well as Peyton and Jake.

At the end of the song Brooke and Lucas got a chance to say goodbye to their daughter before heading out of the venue. Outside everyone was lined up and at the sight of the couple rose petals started to be thrown in the air. Lucas led Brooke to the white stretch limo waiting for them and the two jumped into the back.

"Are you ready for this adventure Mrs. Scott?" Lucas had been pleasantly surprised when Brooke took his name instead of adding it onto Davis.

"I'm ready Mr. Scott!" The couple kissed as the limo rode off into the night.


	40. Chapter 40

"Brooke Davis we have your blood work test back and congrats you're pregnant. Call us back to schedule your first appointment." The voicemail was left on Brooke's phone by her doctor; minutes before receiving this voicemail Brooke turned off her phone.

"Juliet Amarie Scott!" Brooke called out to her daughter.

Lucas and Brooke were set for a one week long honeymoon but the extended their honeymoon an extra week. They settled peacefully into a small cottage in the city of London. During the days Brooke spent her days shopping in all of the fabulous boutiques surrounding their cottage while Lucas would tour old sites around the city. During the nights the couple would make love in front of the fire place and eat dinner over candle light. But now they were back in Tree Hill and packing to move to New York were Brooke had a job waiting for her.

Brooke searched the house for her daughter but couldn't find her. "Juliet!" She screamed out for her daughter. She raced outside and found her little girl sitting in the front yard. "Oh honey what are you doing out here by yourself?"

Juliet looked up at her mother, "I'm just enjoying the grass."

Brooke frowned and took a seat in the grass beside her daughter. "I thought you hated playing outside in the grass?" She pulled her daughter into her arms.

"Well New York has no grass so I wanted to enjoy this grass here before we left." Juliet ran her fingers through the dry grass underneath her.

Brooke felt her eyes tearing up, "Honey we're coming back here I promise. This is our home!"

"You promise?" She stared up at her mother with large wet eyes.

"I promise with all of my heart." Brooke kissed the top of her daughter's brown curls, "I would never take you from this place. There is only one Tree Hill and this place will always be our home no matter where we go or what happens."

Lucas pulled up into the driveway and saw his wife and daughter out in the grass. Both girls were both very girly girls and didn't do very well with outdoors so this sight took him by surprise.

"Is everything okay?" He kneeled down in the grass in front of the two girls.

Brooke smile sadly up at her husband, "Juliet was just enjoying the grass because there is no grass in the city." A tear ran down Brooke's rosy pink cheeks.

Lucas laughed softly and scooped both girls into his arms, "Oh what am I gonna do with you two?!"

"You could go get us ice cream!" Juliet smiled up at her father.

Lucas and Brooke both laughed.

"How about you ask your father to nicely take you to go get ice cream?" Brooke looked down at her now six year old daughter.

Juliet sighed and turned to her father, "Daddy can we go get some ice cream?"

Lucas laughed, "Sure! Let's go." He dusted his pants off after standing up. "Brooke you want some?"

She stood up and dusted off her leggings, "No I'm okay! I've gained some weight and need to hit the gym rather the ice cream parlor."

"Momma you look great!" Juliet hugged her mother's legs. "Like always."

Brooke smiled down at her daughter, "Thank you sweetie! Go enjoy your ice cream. I'll just go pack."

She walked inside and turned on her phone to see if it was charging. A new voicemail notification popped up on Brooke's phone. She called her voicemail and waited for the voicemail to play for her.

"Brooke Davis we have your blood work back and congrats you are pregnant…"

Brooke's mouth dropped open as she listened to the voice mail. Tears began to pour down her face as she sank down onto the wooden floor of her bedroom. "I'm pregnant!" She had to say it out loud to see how it would feel; it felt amazing. "I'm pregnant!" She screamed. She listened to the voicemail over again a few more times to make sure it wasn't a dream.

She'd gone to the doctor after getting home from her honeymoon. She'd noticed she would have constant stomach aches that would make her get sick randomly throughout the day. It persisted for more than a week so Brooke went to the doctor and they'd suspected she had the flu so they took her blood work to confirm it.

She called back and scheduled an appointment for the next morning. Moments after hanging up Lucas and Juliet arrived back home. _"Lucas! I gotta tell Lucas!"_ Brooke thought to herself. She quickly wiped away her tears and got up from the floor. She became dizzy from standing too fast and she held her head and she held onto the dresser to steady herself.

"Brooke? I brought you back some ice cream in case you changed your mind. It's in the fridge." Lucas walked into their bedroom and found a dizzy Brooke clinging onto their dresser. He sat down his ice cream and ran over to her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm okay!" Brooke sighed lightly as the dizzy spell slowly started to fade away. "I just stood up too fast."

"You still feeling sick?" Lucas touched Brooke's stomach. "You need to go get that checked out!"

Brooke laughed, "I did go to the doctor the day we got back and she just called me back!" She couldn't help but smile from ear to ear.

"What did she say?" Lucas squinted as Brooke smiled even wider.

"She said I'm pregnant." Brooke said, "Luke I'm having your baby!" She began to cry again, "We're having a baby Lucas Scott!" She took his face into her hands.

Lucas threw a fist into the air and kissed Brooke repeatedly on her lips. "We're having a baby?" He carefully picked her up and placed her on the bed. "I want you to rest! You need your rest." He put a pillow underneath her head.

Brooke laughed and sat up in the bed, "Lucas I'm not handicapped I can still do stuff!"

"I just want you to be careful! We went from you not being able to have kids to finding out we're pregnant." He sat down on the bed beside her. "I just don't want to see this miracle disappearing on us!"

She smiled sadly as she caressed his cheek, "Okay I promise to be careful until we get word from the doctor that it's safe."

Lucas kissed her forehead, "Thank you!"

xoxo

The next morning Brooke sent Juliet off to what was supposed to be her last day of school but Brooke and Lucas stayed up all night discussing their options now that they were pregnant. The couple decided to stay in Tree Hill where they have family and support and a nice place to raise a family.

"Lucas we're gonna be late!" Brooke threw her purse over her shoulder and looked down impatiently at the watch on her wrist.

"Sorry I had to get my good luck key chain!" Lucas dangled the keys to the car in the air and opened the house door for Brooke.

"A key chain?" She raised an eyebrow to him.

"Hey it helped me win the championship with a heart condition!" Lucas got into the car as did Brooke. They drove to Brooke's doctor's office.

They were escorted to a room to wait for the nurse to run Brooke's blood and urine tests and come back with the results.

"I'm nervous!" Brooke kicked her feet over the edge of the doctor's table. She flinched every time she heard a door opening.

Lucas looked up from a parent magazine he was flipping through, "Why are you nervous?" He was also nervous but didn't want to make Brooke even more freaked out then she already was.

"I'm just afraid she is going to tell me that I'm not pregnant like last time!" She bit down on her bottom lip as the door to the room opened.

The nurse walked into the cold room with the tests results in her hand. "Okay so congrats Brooke you are pregnant! We ran four tests." She looked down at the paper results, "Two blood tests and two urine tests and all came back positive for pregnancy. And from the blood test is appears you are about seven weeks pregnant!"

Brooke took a deep sigh of relief at the good news, "Oh thank goodness!"

"This truly a miracle Mrs. Scott!" The nurse patted Brooke gently on her knee, "So today we're just going to discuss what you can and can't eat as a pregnant woman and what you can and can't do. And I know you said you were nervous that you were pregnant during your pre-wedding party and you drank pretty heavily so throughout the pregnancy we will keep an eye out for an damages to the baby but I'm sure everything will look fine. Alcohol usually doesn't affect the baby this early on in the pregnancy."

Brooke shook her head and closed her eyes as her heart skipped a beat, "I just want a happy healthy baby!" She smiled happily.

During the whole doctor's visit Brooke and Lucas absorbed all of the information they needed to have a healthy baby. Brooke was due for her first ultra sound in three weeks. The doctor assured her it was okay to tell family and friends about her good news.

"You want to tell Haley we're staying or should I?" Lucas pulled into the front of Karen's café.

"Let's tell her together." Brooke climbed out of the car and they noticed that the café was closed. "That's weird. It's the middle of the day! Why does Haley have the cafe closed?" Brooke walked around the café and found Haley's car around back.

"On second thought I think I'll wait outside while you go in and tell her." Lucas nodded toward Brooke's old boutique where the lights were on. Nathan informed Lucas and Brooke about Haley's frequent trips over to the empty store while the couple was away.

She walked across the street to her old store and found Haley sitting on the floor of the boutique. She smiled sadly and walked inside.

"What are you doing in here?" She sat down on the floor next to her friend. "Is everything okay?"

Haley nodded slowly, "I'm just going to miss you! You're leaving tomorrow Brooke!"

"About that!" Brooke turned her body so she was facing Haley, "Lucas and I are staying here in Tree Hill."

"What? Why?" Haley's face lite up with excitement but she was confused.

"I don't want to raise my unborn child in a city with no grass and playgrounds that are on the roof tops of buildings! I want an stable environment for my baby." Brooke said with a laugh, "Hales I'm pregnant!"

Both of Haley's hands flew up to her open mouth. She squealed loudly and wrapped her arms around her best friend, "Congrats Brooke!"

At the sound of the loud squeal Lucas came into the store. "I take it the coast it clear?" Haley carefully got up from her position on the ground and she ran over to Lucas.

Lucas and Brooke couldn't but laugh at a pregnant Haley running.

"I heard the good news! You're gonna be a daddy, again!" Haley squealed again and hugged Lucas.

Lucas laughed and hugged his pregnant best friend, "Thank you Hales!" He pulled away and looked at her, "I mean it! Thank you for supporting us and believing in us. We needed that!"

"We love you Hales!" Brooke got up from the cold marble floors.

Haley looked back and forth between her two best friends and she began to cry, "I love you too!" She pulled them into a group hug. "I'm so happy for you guys! I knew you could do it." She touched Brooke's flat stomach, "Aunt Haley can't wait to meet you in there whomever you are!"

Brooke and Lucas both watched with tears streaming down their faces as Haley rubbed Brooke's stomach. This was a dream come true for the both of them.

_"God I'm lucky!"_ Brooke thought to herself.


	41. Chapter 41

"Lucas! Lucas Eugene Scott!" Brooke kneeled over her sleeping husband. "Lucas! Wake up!"

Lucas began to slowly wake up. When opened his eyes he saw Brooke standing over him. He popped up in the bed, "What's wrong? Is everything okay?" He touched her stomach.

Brooke smiled and nodded, "I have a baby bump already!" She moved his hand and rose up her black pajama top, "Look!" She turned to the side.

Lucas shook his head in disbelief, "Brooke Penelope Scott! You woke me to show me your baby bump?"

"Luke I'm just excited! We're having a baby." Brooke climbed into the bed with him, forcing Lucas to scoot over.

He smiled and wrapped his arms around her, "I'm excited too but babe it's five in the morning!"

"So! Did you see the baby bump?" She turned her body around so she was lying in the bed facing him.

Lucas laughed and nodded his head once, "I saw the baby bump!"

She squealed and kicked her legs in the air. "I've never been so excited to get bigger! But it means our baby is healthy so I don't mind!"

He couldn't help but smile at her excitement, "Well the baby bump will be there in the morning I promise! Now let's go back to sleep since we're waking up so early for your first ultra sound appointment."

"Oh I'm excited for that too!" Brooke squealed into her pillow.

Brooke was due for her first ultra sound in the morning. She'd been getting tips from her pregnant friends, Haley and Peyton on ways to have a comfortable pregnancy and how to keep the baby healthy. Peyton was now six months pregnant and Haley was now five months pregnant but Brooke was only three months pregnant.

In the morning Brooke woke Lucas up again. "Rise and shine baby daddy!" She kissed his nose and shook him lightly by his arm.

Lucas' eyes popped up after being shaken awake, "Is it time to get up already?" He groaned into his pillow. "But you just woke me up two hours ago!"

Brooke laughed and hit him with the pillow, "Lucas Scott, get up right now! You have half an hour to get ready before we need to leave for the doctor's office."

"Alright! Okay! I'm up." Lucas slowly pulled himself up in their bed. "We gotta get a less comfortable mattress. I never want to leave this bed." He fought the urge to plop back down onto his pillow.

Brooke was standing in the mirror trying on shirts to accommodate her new tiny baby bump. She wanted to flaunt her pregnancy, not hide it.

"Ugh nothing fits anymore!" She threw down a brown sweater she tried to squeeze over her stomach.

Lucas laughed and kissed his beautiful wife, "You look beautiful in a tee shirt and jeans Brooke!"

"I don't like to wear tee-shirts and jeans Luke! I want to look pretty and pregnant not just pregnant!" Brooke turned back to her closest full of clothes.

"Well I tried!" Lucas put his hands up in the air and walked into their bathroom to take a shower.

"Helping would be taking me maternity shopping today!"' Brooke called after him. She found a black tank top that she'd gotten in London during their honey moon with the word Bonjour written several times on the front. She slipped it over her head and smiled brightly when it fit perfectly.

"Momma?" Juliet came running into her parents' bedroom.

Brooke was sliding on a pair of matching black leggings when her daughter walked it. Juliet let out a loud gasp which made Brooke jump.

"Momma your stomach!" Juliet touched her mother's belly. "It's getting bigger."

Brooke smiled, "Your little brother or sister is getting really big really fast."

"Is that a good thing? Will you pop?" Juliet looked up at her mother, worried.

She laughed, "No honey! I won't pop but it is good for the baby to get bigger."

"Oh!" Juliet shrugged her shoulders, "When we find out if it's a boy or girl? Because I want a little sister."

Brooke sat down on her bed so she could put on her socks with ease, "We should know soon honey. What if it's a boy? Would you still love the baby?"

"I'll love him but I'd still want it to be a girl! I already have Jamie as a little brother but I don't have a little sister so you need to have a little girl." Juliet turned and left the room.

Brooke couldn't help but laugh at her little girl. She is just like Brooke was at six years old.

xoxo

"You're so impatient." Lucas commented about his wife rapidly kicking her feet off of the edge of the doctor's table. "They will be in here soon." He looked back down at the parenting magazine in his hand.

Brooke continued to kick her feet, "I just want to see my child already! We've been waiting…" She checked the time on her phone. "Ten minutes."

A knocked sounded on the door before the door opened. The ultra sound technician walked in with the doctor.

"We ran your blood tests and your hormone levels are abnormally high so we're going to start the ultra sound to see if my suspicions are right." The doctor moved aside and allowed the ultra sound technician to start on Brooke.

Brooke lied on her back and clutched Lucas' hand, nervously. "What suspicions are you having about the baby?"

"Steady your breathing Mrs. Scott! I promise my suspicions are not bad ones." The doctor smiled down at her visually nervous patient.

Brooke nodded once and took a deep breath as the technician put the scan onto Brooke's gel-up stomach. Instantly the image of the baby popped onto the screen of the monitor.

"I have three heart beats here; one is yours Brooke." The technician informed her. "So you were right!" She looked back at the Brooke's doctor, "They are having twins."

Both Lucas and Brooke couldn't believe what they were hearing. Brooke squeezed Lucas' hand tightly and fought the urge to jump up and hug him.

"Twins?" Lucas managed to get pass the lump forming in his throat. "We're having twins?" The smile on his face not budging an inch.

"Yes sir, you are!" The technician pointed out both babies. "They seem to be developing on schedule. They aren't stunting one another's growth but in order to keep it this way Brooke you have to make sure you eat enough for both babies. You have to be careful when you're pregnant with twins; you have twice the load on you."

Brooke nodded but kept her eyes glued to the monitor, "We're having twins!" She whispered.

Lucas kissed her forehead. "Those are our babies!"

"When will we know the sex of the babies?" Brooke asked.

"You should know whether they are boys or girls or both in your next appointment." The doctor informed her patients. "Congrats Brooke and Lucas!"

After getting print outs of their babies' ultra sound, the couple left the hospital.

"Are you as excited as I am?" Lucas looked over at Brooke as they walked out of the parking lot of the hospital.

Brooke squealed and did a little dance, "I'm so happy! We're having two babies! I guess Haley's baby dust worked."

Lucas laughed and repeated Brooke's dance. "We're gonna have to get a new bigger house now that we're expecting two new family members."

She clapped her hands together, "I can't wait to tell everyone we're having two babies instead of one!" She took a deep breath after losing her breath from walking down the hill of the parking lot, "We're so lucky Luke!"

"I feel extremely lucky; like someone is watching down on us granting us our every wish." Lucas looked up at the sky and began to think of his Uncle Keith. Keith was killed during a school shooting when Lucas was in High School. Lucas' last words to his uncle were I love you.

"I feel like Keith is our guardian angel!" Brooke smiled sadly over at Lucas, who was staring up at the cloudless sky. "I feel like he brought us back together and is bringing us even closer by giving us these two amazingly beautiful gifts of life!"

Lucas felt himself tearing up at the memory of his beloved Uncle Keith. "I know what you mean."

Brooke wrapped her arm around her husband's waist as they walked towards Keith's grave. Brooke's hospital wasn't far from where Keith was buried so Brooke suggested parking there so they could walk and visit Keith after every doctor's appointment and it doubled as exercise for Brooke and the babies.

"You first!" Brooke kissed Lucas as they approached Keith's grave. She kissed her hand and ran it along Keith head stone before walking off toward Peyton's mother's grave.

Lucas watched his wife walk away and sit down in the grass in front of Elizabeth Sawyer's grave. He chuckled as Brooke swatted away bugs from the grave.

"God Keith I'm so lucky!" He kneeled down at his uncle's headstone. "I got to marry the woman of my dreams and now we're having twins! I can't help but wish you were here for me to celebrate all of this with." He glanced over at Brooke again. "She is amazing Keith! You were right about her."

The day Keith died he made Lucas a promise to help Lucas find Brooke despite the fact that at the time Lucas was dating Peyton. Keith thought there was something special about Brooke. He saw how big of a heart the then teenage girl had and how much she truly loved Lucas.

"She has such a big heart and she is always there for me, supporting me and cheering me on. She was there for when I lost Quentin and after you died she sent me the nicest and most heart felt letter." A tear rolled down Lucas' cheek as he watched Brooke speak to Elizabeth's head stone.

"I love her Keith and I wish you were here to see how much." Lucas closed his eyes. "I just hope you see how proudly she wears your ring on her finger along with her wedding band."

On the wedding day Brooke and Lucas wanted Keith there but couldn't so she wore his ring to represent his presence and she has been wearing it since.

"Lucas!" Brooke approached the grave. "You ready to go?"

Lucas nodded and slowly stood up again, "I love you Keith!"

"We love you too Uncle Keith!" Brooke rubbed her stomach and smiled widely at the headstone.

Lucas looked over at Brooke and smiled, "You really are an amazing woman Brooke Scott!"

"I know!" She laughed and kissed him.


	42. Chapter 42

"Peyton Sawyer, you look so beautiful!" Brooke clapped her hands together at the sight of her pregnant best friend as the auburn haired woman stood in front of the mirror.

Brooke had been spending more time at home to put Lucas' worries about her and the twins at ease. Brooke was going crazy with spending so much time at home so she began making maternity clothes for her two best friends, Haley and Peyton, as well as for herself. She made Peyton a beautiful yellow and white halter dress to fit perfectly over her growing belly.

"Thank you Brooke!" Peyton examined her baby bump in the yellow and white creation made by her friend, "It's gorgeous."

"You make it look gorgeous Peyton!" Brooke stood behind her friend in the mirror and examined the round woman through her reflection in the white floor length mirror. "Is this how you thought our lives would turn out ?"

Peyton smiled and nodded her head slowly, "Actually this is almost exactly how I thought our lives would turn out; except for the whole secret baby thing and the me drugging Lucas thing."

"Really?" Brooke rose both of her eyebrows at Peyton. "You really pictured our lives like this?"

"I guess I've always known you and Lucas would end up together and married with kids." Peyton rubbed Brooke's growing baby bump, "I always knew Jake was the one for me I just needed to go through some things before I was ready to accept that it's Jake that is going to be by my side in the end!"

Brooke smiled sadly at Peyton, "I'm so happy for the both of us! We used to lay in your bed after school and dream of days like this. You'd be a being record exec and I'd be just be pure amazing!"

Peyton laughed, "You used to say you'd marry rich and only have one kid so you wouldn't get fat because rich men don't like fat women!"

"I will be the first to admit I was a conceded and naive little bitch back in high school!" Brooke said with a laugh. "But Lucas has changed all of that for me. The moment I met Lucas my world stopped being all about me and you know I much I liked it being all about me!"

"Oh now that is true! You used to make your birthday an week long holiday!" She touched her sore pink cheers, "I never thought I'd see the day where my best friend would take time away from getting a manicure to cook a boy a meal!" Peyton turned to Brooke. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"I love you too !" Brooke smiled. "We've been through so much together!" Tears began to cloud up Brooke's chocolate brown eyes.

Peyton laughed, "We've been through way too much together. More than half of it has been my fault and I'm so sorry for that."

"Nonsense! You were in a troubled place then." Brooke linked arms with her best friend and led her out into her living room, "I have a surprise for you."

Haley, Mia, Millicent, and Quinn jumped up from their sitting positions on Peyton's couches when Brooke and Peyton entered the living room. "Surprise!" The women all screamed in unison.

"What is this?" Peyton looked around at the baby decorations hanging from the walls of her living room.

"It's your baby shower!" Brooke helped Peyton sit down on the couch, "We wanted you to have one before you actually went into labor."

Peyton tried to hold back her tears but couldn't and she started to cry. Brooke pulled her emotional friend into her small arms.

"It's okay honey!" Brooke rubbed Peyton's back to calm her down. "We just wanted to show you how much we loved you!"

Peyton shook her head as tears continued to race down her pink face, "I didn't want you to worry…" She trailed off.

"What is it?" Brooke looked down at a nervous Peyton.

"I was diagnosed as a high risk pregnancy soon after Jake and I found out we were having a baby." Peyton pulled away from Brooke's gentle touch and straightened herself up on the couch, wiping away a few of her tears, "I run the risk of bleeding out during labor. They tried to talk me into aborting the baby and try again but I just couldn't do that to my unborn child!" She looked down at her round baby bump. "They said I will not make it to full term and I will more than likely die during labor."

"What?!" Haley couldn't help but scream out. "So it's either you or your baby?" She said with wide eyes.

"Peyton!" Brooke took her friend's hands into her own, "Peyton why are you risking your life like this? Why didn't you just try again?"

"Brooke I can't abort this baby!" Peyton felt herself about to cry again, "I saw how hard you were dealing with not being able to have kids and what if that were me? What if this is my only chance to create this life?" She fanned her wet eyes, "I'm going to be okay. Even if I don't make it through the labor the baby has all of you as well as Jake and Jenny so I know she will be loved!"

The women sitting in Peyton's living room all began to cry at Peyton's tragic story that might be coming to an end.

"Peyton what are you going to do without you?" Mia, Peyton's artist, asked through her tears.

Peyton looked around the room full of sobbing women. "Hey! You guys are going to be okay without me. In this room sits some of the strongest women I've ever met!"

"Don't be so sure about that Peyton! You mean so much to all of us and losing you would be such a tragedy." Brooke cried into her shaking hands.

Peyton smiled sadly and removed Brooke's hands from her face. "Brooke Scott you will be fine! You are one of the greatest moms and aunts I have ever seen!" She hugged her friend, "I have no doubt that you will love this baby as much as you love your own."

"My children won't have their Aunt Peyton!" Brooke wiped her tears from her wet face. "Peyton…"

"Brooke my decision is final; I'm having this baby!" She took her friend's hands, "I love you all for being so worried about me but I'm going to be okay." She looked around the room again at all of the wet faces of her friends. "You guys will be okay, I promise!"

"I admire you Peyton Sawyer!" Quinn continued despite her voice breaking mid-sentence, "You are going through so much but you find such a graceful way to be strong about it all."

"Thank you Quinn!" Peyton smiled and carefully removed herself from the tan couch to hug Quinn, "Thank you all for supporting me and my decision to have this baby."

"I better be the god mother after this craziness!" Haley said with a sad laugh.

"Hales!" Brooke squealed at her friend. "Do not pressure her into making you the god mother! That is so not fair!"

Haley gave her shoulders a shrug, "You already have a godson and I want a god child now."

Peyton laughed and shook her head, sending her auburn colored curls bouncing around her face. "I have already made my decision about all of that but you won't find out until after I deliver the baby."

"Ugh no fair!" Brooke playfully pouted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I promise neither of you will be disappointed with my decision." Peyton hugged Haley and blew Brooke a kiss, "I love you both."

"We love you too Sawyer!" Haley hugged her friend tightly, "But I love you more!" She whispered loudly. "You're gonna make a great mom. You already have so much strength."

"Thank you Hales." Peyton smiled, "That means a lot coming from you! You and Brooke are the ultimate moms in my book."

"Super moms!" Brooke playfully sang as she bounced off of the couch. "Yeah!"

Brooke's silly song managed to lighten the mood of the emotional baby shower. Peyton sat down again to open her gifts from her girlfriends.

"Oh well I wonder who these are from?" Peyton held a pair of pink fuzzy handcuffs. She turned to Brooke and shook the furry handcuffs in her friend's face, "What am I gonna need these for Brooke?"

"Hey! Those are so not from me!" Brooke laughed, "I gave you your present upstairs. Why does everyone think I always give sex toys as presents?"

"Because you're Brooke Davis!" Haley laughed but corrected herself, "Brooke Scott!"

Millicent felt her cheeks get red as they teased Brooke for buying Peyton a sex toy for a baby shower gift.

"It's from me!" She began to rise her hand in the air, embarrassed. "I read in one of those baby books I got for Brooke that pregnant women get horny so I thought it'd be a cute little gift."

"For you to be a virgin you sure seem freaky!" Brooke said with a loud squeal, "Freak in the sheets!"

"Brooke!" Millicent squealed, "That was a secret between you and me!"

Everyone's eyes became wide at Millicent's big secret accidentally being revealed.

Brooke gently tapped her temple, "Pregnancy brain!" Millicent rolled her eyes as she sank down into the couch.

"There is nothing wrong with being a virgin. I was a virgin until I got married!" Haley smiled proudly.

"That totally doesn't count because you got married in high school." Brooke said with a laugh. "That is no wait at all for most teenagers!"

Everyone seemed to agree with Brooke because they all began to nod their heads.

"It counts okay! You all see how hot my husband is!" Haley sighed happily at the thought of her husband shirtless.

"I'm not a virgin!" Millicent felt the need to defend herself.

"So who you finally gave it up to Mouth?" Brooke squealed as she threw a pillow at Millicent. "Oh was it good? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Marvin and I have never slept together in that way yet." Millicent corrected Brooke. "I slept with the bartender down at Tric." She felt ashamed of what she had done but felt the need to defend herself among the women.

"Oh. My. God!" Brooke gawked at Millicent, "You lucky bitch!"

"Brooke!" Peyton squealed at her friend but she couldn't stop herself from laughing at her silly best friend.

"What? That bartender was hot!" Brooke frowned, "If I wasn't married…"

"Brooke Davis you are something else!" Peyton said with a shake of her head. "But I love you for being such a mess. You're my mess."

Brooke laughed and gave her shoulders a gentle shrug, "I'm pretty amazing, I know!" She playfully patted herself on the back. "What can I say? I'm Brooke Penelope Scott!"


	43. Chapter 43

"Lucas Scott!" Brooke called out to her husband from their bed who was sitting across from her at his desk.

Lucas was still refusing to let Brooke off of bed rest even after the doctor cleared Brooke for physical activity. He pulled his attention away from his laptop and pulled his headphones from his ears.

"Is everything okay?" Lucas raced over to Brooke's side and touched her belly.

"No! Everything is not okay! Brooke pouted as she threw her covers off of her legs, "I'm sick of being in this bed. You haven't let me out of this room since Peyton's baby shower."

Lucas frowned up at his wife and sat down on their bed, "I just thought you needed a rest after throwing such a lavish party."

"Luke, I throw parties in my sleep!" Brooke looked down at her bare pink nails, "Nathan lets Haley still work at the café even though she is pregnant."

"Haley isn't pregnant with twins nor was she told she'd never bear kids again." Lucas was being protective of his new wife but he knew she wouldn't take it without a fight.

"Luke I'm going to work down at the café with Haley starting tomorrow!" Lucas opened his mouth to say something but Brooke interrupted him, "It is final. I've been in here for weeks and I've made enough maternity clothes to last me all throughout my pregnancy without ever having to repeat an outfit."

Lucas gave his head a stern shake, "I don't approve of this Brooke but I know once you get your mind set to something there is no stopping you."

Brooke gently took Lucas' face into her petite hands and smiled, "The twins and I will be fine! But momma won't be fine if momma has to spend one more day in this damn bed."

"Well we just want momma to be happy!" Juliet interrupted her parents, "I made the babies something."

Juliet was holding a handmade birthday card behind her back. She pulled it out and handed it to her pregnant mother.

"It's a birthday card for the twins for their first birthday!" Juliet climbed into her parents' bed and lied down next to her mother. "Do you like it?"

"Oh honey it is beautiful!" Brooke looked down at the glittery card and smiled, "I love the glitter!"

"You don't think it's too much glitter for the boys?" Juliet placed her tiny hand over her mother's growing baby bump.

Brooke had another doctors' appointment the previous day and was informed that she was carrying twin boys.

"I think they'll love it!" Lucas dusted a few stray glitters from his hands, "I wish it was my birthday card! Can I steal it?"

Juliet laughed, "I'll make you one daddy!"

"Do you pinky promise?" Lucas held his pinky out to his six year old daughter. "I want all of the glitter and family portraits that this card has!"

"I pinky promise to make you a birthday card," Juliet linked her pinky finger with her father's and both of them kissed their own pinkies.

"No broken promises…" Lucas started the catch phrase he'd come up with his daughter.

"No broken hearts!" Juliet finished the catch phrase.

Tears began to fill Brooke's eyes as she watched Lucas and Juliet interact with one another. Lucas looked over to see Brooke's wet eyes.

"What's the matter?" He dropped his hold on his daughter's pinky and pulled Brooke into his muscular arms.

"You're going to be a great dad Lucas Scott!" Brooke pulled Juliet into their hug.

"He's already a great dad, momma!" Juliet fell into the hug with her parents, careful not to hit the twins.

xoxo

"Hello there boss!" Brooke walked into Karen's Café. The expectant mother wore a bright yellow dress that showcased her growing baby bump.

Haley was preparing coffee behind the counter of the tiny café when Brooke walked in.

"Brooke?" Haley gaped at the sight of her friend actually being out and about, "Where is Lucas?"

"He is on his way to the high school." Brooke's heels clinked against the wood floors of the cafe as she walked to the counter where she took a seat, "He has agreed to let me work here at the café; part time of course."

Haley gasped loudly, "It's about time he realizes you aren't breakable or handicap. You're just pregnant!" She walked around the counter and placed her hands on her friend's baby bump, "How are my nephews doing?"

"They are making momma so fat and hungry!" Brooke laughed as her friend gently rubbed on her stomach, "They keep me up all night with their kicking and moving."

"Say momma you are not fat!" Haley made a baby voice by Brooke's round stomach, "You look great pregnant. I'm the one that looks like a whale."

Haley took a step back from Brooke so her friend could get a good look at how much weight she has gained.

"Hales, you look so adorable!" Brooke squealed at her friend, "So cute and round."

Haley's mouth dropped open, "Brooke! I am not round!"

Brooke made a locking motion at her two pink lips, "Any who! What is there for me to do boss?"

"You're serious about working here?" Haley raised both of her eyebrows.

"I'm so serious!" Brooke stood up from the stool she'd been sitting on, "So serious that I want to become a partner with you. Unless you don't want me too…"

Haley shook her head quickly, "I would love to run a business with my best friend but are you sure you're ready? It's only been four months since you've lost Clothes over Bros!"

"I did not lose it! I gave it away." Brooke playfully corrected her friend, "I'm so ready for this Hales! I want to invest in something stable so my kids can go to college and live a comfortable life. You and Lucas both grew up in this tiny café so it's pretty special."

Haley smiled and extended her hand to Brooke, "Well welcome aboard partner!"

Brooke squealed and took her pregnant friend into a tight hug. Haley quickly gasped as Brooke hugged her.

"Uh-oh, Brooke?" Haley held her large baby bump.

"Yeah?" Brooke looked over at her friend with a worried expression written across her face.

"It's time!" Haley took a deep breath and caressed her large stomach.

Brooke's brown eyes widened, "It's time?" Haley nodded her head and sat down. "Okay well I'll get your car keys and we'll go! Call Luke and Nate!"

Brooke slipped out of her pale pink high heels and ran into the office space in the back of the café where Haley kept her purse and car keys.

"Okay I got the keys!" Brooke tripped over her own two feet as she made her way over to her friend.

Haley flew up from her sitting position on the breakfast stool and race over to her friend, "Brooke! Are you okay?" She was too big to get down on her knees so she leaned over.

"You got over here pretty fast!" Brooke pulled herself up from her knees.

Haley bit down onto her bottom lip, "Okay, I was testing you!"

"Haley!" Brooke squealed and gently hit her friend in her arm, "That was a cruel joke."

"I'm sorry but I wanted to make sure you were ready." Haley sat down to rest her feet, "You're working here now and I could go into labor while I'm at work with you."

Brooke crossed her arms over her chest, "Haley Bob Scott! You are to never do that again!"

Haley looked up at Brooke with big eyes as she nodded slowly.

"Oh but first we should do it to Lucas!" Brooke snickered at the idea of tricking her sometimes up tight husband.

Brooke called Lucas to the café so the pair could have lunch with Haley.

"Brooke?" Lucas walked into the empty café, "Haley?"

Brooke came running from the back room, "Luke! There you are!"

"Is everything okay?" He rushed over to his pregnant wife, "What is it?"

"Luke…" Haley sounded as if she was in pain as she walked out from the back room, "It's time!"

"What?" Lucas almost shouted at his best friend, "It's time?" Haley nodded silently. "Okay well we gotta call Nathan and…" Lucas struggled to find his phone and car keys despite them being in his hands, "We gotta do something else!"

"We gotta get her to the hospital!" Brooke tried to help her husband.

"Right!" He pointed to his wife and turned to Haley but as he turned he fell to the ground, "Are you sure it's time?"

"It's time Luke! I've been in labor before I think I'd know what it feels like." Haley sat down at one of the nearby tables.

"Alright!" Lucas took a deep breath and pulled himself up from the floor, "Let's get you out of here." The usually graceful Lucas stumbled again on his way to the door. "I'm alright!" He called from the floor.

"Why are you two so clumsily when you're panicking?" Haley leaned down over Lucas, who was lying across the floor of the café.

"Why are you so calm? You're in labor!" Lucas frowned up at his friend as it all seemed to hit him, "Were you faking it Hales?"

Haley couldn't help but laugh at the expression on Lucas' face, "I was faking and both of you fail…literally."

"Oh that was so not funny!" Lucas pulled himself up off of the floor, "So not funny!" He rubbed his forehead.

"Well look at it this way! You and Brooke now know you have some things to learn and work on before the twins get here!" Haley smirked at her two friends and left them standing in the front of the café.

"You sure we're ready for this Brooke?" Lucas groaned at his sore forehead.

Brooke kissed the bump forming on Lucas' forehead, "I'm so sure! Seeing you with Juliet just makes it all so clear just how ready we are! We're going to be great parents as long as we don't trip on the way to the hospital."


	44. Chapter 44

"Hello bed." Brooke stared down at her plush new bed in her new house before climbing into it. "Oh how I have missed you today!"

Just as Brooke lied down in the bed and closed her chocolate brown eyes, Lucas walked into their bedroom. His usual smile has faded from his pink face as he takes in the sight of his tired wife lying in the bed.

"Brooke..." Lucas called out sadly to his wife as he climbed into the bed next to her.

"Oh no Lucas I'm tired! Maybe in the morning..." Brooke kept her eyes shut.

"Brooke, it's about Peyton." Lucas tapped his feet on the wooden floor of their bedroom as he leaned over Brooke. "She was driving home when the side of her car was hit by another car."

Brooke's eyes shot open as she popped up in their bed, "What?" She screamed at the top of her lungs as she climbed out of the bed and put on her clothes and shoes.

"Brooke, slow down." Lucas already had on his clothes and shoes, knowing his wife would want to go right away to the hospital to see Peyton.

"Slow down? Luke, my pregnant best friend is in the hospital after being hit by a car!" Brooke raced from their bedroom, "Juliet!" She called out to her sleeping child while running to her bedroom.

"No, don't wake her! I'll just carry her to the car." Lucas scooped his sleeping daughter into his arms with ease and he placed her across the back seat of his old Mustang.

Brooke climbed into the passenger seat of the Mustang and she finally had a chance to settle down and think about what was actually happening. The thought of losing her best friend and her niece shook Brooke down to her core. Her entire body began to shake at the tragic thought.

"Brooke! Calm down. Stress can't be good for the twins." Lucas whispered over to his wife as he gently caressed her round stomach, careful not to wake their daughter who was fast asleep in the back seat. "Peyton is going to be fine and so will her baby."

"How can you be so sure?" Brooke asked with uncertainty.

"Because Peyton Sawyer is one strongest women I've ever met," Lucas and Brooke arrived at the hospital less than twenty minutes after Lucas got the phone call from Peyton's husband, Jake, about Peyton's accident.

"I'll take Juliet to Nathan and Haley's while you go ahead in and check on Peyton." Lucas kissed Brooke tenderly on her lips, "Please don't go into labor while I'm gone."

Brooke couldn't help but laugh at her husband's joke, "I promise I'll take it easy." She climbed out of the car and ran towards the elevators. The short elevator ride gave her a chance to catch her breath before she sprinted towards Peyton's hospital room.

Peyton was lying awake in the hospital room with her daughter sleeping peacefully in her arms. Brooke raced inside of the room and she smiled widely at her best friend.

"Oh!" Brooke squealed at her best friend. She bent over to catch her breath, "You scared me half to death."

Peyton placed her index finger over her pink lips, "Sh!"

Brooke gasped loudly at the sight of her niece, "Oh you had the baby?"

"Yeah! They were worried about her after the crash because I was bleeding really bad but we're both fine." Peyton gently placed her new born into Brooke's petite arms.

"She is so gorgeous." Brooke carefully sat down on the edge of Peyton's hospital bed with her niece in her arms, "What's her name?"

"Sawyer Brooke Jagielski." Peyton said her daughter's name with so much pride.

Brooke peeled her eyes away from the sleeping new born in her arms, "Brooke?"

"You don't mind do you?" Peyton bit down on her thin bottom lip, "I made Haley the god mother and I named her after you! I thought it was only fair."

Brooke felt tears coming to her eyes, "I don't mind at all! Thank you!" She wrapped her arm around her friend. "I love you !"

Peyton laughed, "I love you too !"

Lucas walked into the room moments later with a bouquet of roses for Peyton after receiving a call from his wife about Peyton having her daughter.

"Oh Luke!" Peyton squealed at the sight of the beautiful flowers, "You didn't have to do that."

Lucas sat the bouquet of flowers down on Peyton's night stand. He hugged her, "Of course I had too! I'm not going to pretend like I don't still care about you and your well-being. You will always be special to me Peyton."

Brooke was in the corner of the room cradling her niece in her arms. "Lucas, come meet Sawyer BROOKE Jagielski."

"Brooke?" Lucas took the new born into his strong arms. "You named her after Brooke?"

"She sure did!" Brooke answered for Peyton, "She is going to be so chic and awesome like her Auntie Brooke." She caressed the child's round pink cheeks.

"I can't wait until you two have your twin boys!" Peyton rested her head back onto her pillow. "You guys are going to do great."

Lucas smiled from ear to ear down at the sleeping baby girl, "I'm still kind of nervous about the whole baby thing! Other than babysitting Jamie, I haven't had any real experience with babies."

"Honey, you are going to do great!" Brooke kissed her husband lightly on his lips. "And the twins seem to agree with me." She looked down at her stomach as her twins began to move around in her stomach.

**xoxo**

"Well somebody is glowing!" Lucas woke up the next morning to a smiling Brooke lying next to him.

"Sawyer Brooke is so cute." Brooke was cradling her growing baby bump in her hands, "It just made me excited to see the boys for the first time! Will they look like Jamie? Or be a perfect match between the two of us like Juliet?"

"Why would they look like Jamie?" Lucas said with a yawn and stretch of his arms and legs.

Brooke laughed, "Are you kidding? James Lucas Scott is his name and he looks exactly like you!"

"Why does everyone say that?" Lucas plopped his head back down onto his pillow plush pillow.

"Because it's the truth?! He looks like a product of you and Haley's fling." Brooke said with a laugh.

"Ew!" Lucas shook his head at the thought of him hooking up with Haley, "She is like a sister to me."

"I know that!" Brooke pushed him over but the push barely budged Lucas' lying position in their bed, "But when you three are out in public people assume that Jamie is your son and that Haley is your wife."

"Do I detect a little jealously in your voice?" Lucas playfully pulled his wife onto his chest.

Brooke laughed as she fell onto Lucas' muscular chest, "Yeah right! I think it's super cute."

"I think our family is going to be cute!" Lucas said against his wife's lips.

"I think we're already cute!" Juliet walked into her parent's bedroom and climbed onto the bed. "Good morning!" She said with a wave of her tiny hands.

Brooke laughed and moved aside as her daughter climbed into the bed.

"Good morning Silly!" Brooke blew her daughter a kiss, "I think you're right! We're pretty darn cute." Brooke pulled out her camera and lied down with Lucas and Juliet, "Say cheese!"

"Cheese!" Juliet screamed at the camera as she posed against her father's side.

Lucas held both Juliet and Brooke in his arms as Brooke took several pictures of the family with her camera.

"It's time to measure you're stomach again momma!" Juliet snatched the sharpie off of her father's night stand. "C'mon! I wanna see how big you've gotten."

Brooke and Lucas both climbed out of bed and walked to the wall in their new bedroom where they had been measuring Brooke's belly growth throughout her pregnancy.

"Okay big momma!" Lucas playfully teased his pregnant wife as he kneeled down and wrapped the measuring tape around her stomach. "You are now thirty-two inches!"

"Oh momma you got big!" Juliet squealed as she peeled the top off of the sharpie. "Time to trace the bump!" The little girl yelled as she held the marker into the air.

Brooke stepped closer to the wall and watched as Lucas helped Juliet trace her growing baby bump.

"Only two more months, momma!" Juliet hugged her mother. "Are you excited?"

"I'm just as excited as I was when I was about to have you!" Brooke kissed her daughter's soft cheeks.

Lucas picked up Juliet and threw her over his shoulder, "Who is going to be a good big sister?"

"Me! Me!" Juliet squealed from atop of her father's shoulders, "I'm going to be the best big sister the twins will ever have."

Brooke sat down on the edge of the bed, "You gonna help mama and daddy take care of the twins?"

"I'll play with them!" Juliet said between laughs as her father tickled her in her sides.

"You two are so silly!" Brooke smiled as she watched her daughter and her husband play together, "I love you two!"

"We love you too!" Juliet and Lucas yelled at Brooke in unison as Lucas ran around the large bedroom with his daughter on his shoulders.


	45. Chapter 45

"Knock, knock!" Brooke opened the door to her nieces' all pink nursery.

Inside of the nursery sat Haley cradling her sleeping new born daughter in a rocking chair. Haley looked up from the new born baby when the door cracked opened.

"Hey Brooke!" Haley smiled up at her best friend, "You can come in!"

Haley had gone into birth just two weeks after Peyton gave birth to her daughter, Sawyer. Brooke had been at the hospital every day for both women during their deliveries and recoveries.

"Hey Hales!" Brooke slipped out of her black pumps and dropped her purse outside of the nursery's door before she walked inside. "Is she sleeping?" Brooke sat down across from Haley in a plush pink chair.

"Yeah I just got her to go to sleep not to long ago." Haley slowly brought the rocking of the chair to a halt. "You want to hold her?"

Brooke nodded with a bright smile as she extended her arms out, "Of course I want to hold my beautiful niece!" She took the sleeping baby into her arms and gasped. "She gets more and more gorgeous every time I see her!"

"I'm glad she looks like Nathan." Haley kept her place in the rocking chair. "People keep telling me how much Jamie looks so much like his Uncle Lucas!"

Brooke laughed quietly, careful not to wake the sleeping baby. "Lucas says he doesn't see it at all!" She slowly bounced the baby in her arms. "I think one of our twins is going to come out looking like Jamie."

Haley's hands flew up to her chest as she tried not to laugh. "That would be so cute!" She scooted to the edge of her chair again and reached for Brooke's growing baby bump. "How are the twins?"

"They are great!" Brooke kept her eyes glued on the child in her arms. "They keep momma awake at night though."

"I'm not working you too hard by making you run the café for me am I?" Haley was on a short maternity leave but it made her nervous that Brooke would go into labor while working at the café but someone had to run the cafe while she was away.

"Everything is going fine Hales!" Brooke gently placed the baby into her pink crib. "I am doing just fine down there."

She was revamping the café as a surprise to Haley. The old café looked like it did when it first opened and Brooke wanted to make it more modern so they could pull in more customers.

"Well I'll be back in to work tomorrow so I can take over for you." Haley slowly slid out of the rocking chair.

Brooke pouted and put her hands on her hips, "Hales! We are partners, remember?"

Haley pulled a pouting Brooke out of her daughter's nursery so they wouldn't wake the baby girl.

"I just want to help!" Haley pulled the baby monitor from her cardigan's pocket and flipped the off switch to on.

"You just don't want my labor on your hands!" Brooke said with a laugh as she followed Haley down the spiral stairs and into the kitchen. "I'm not going into labor anytime soon so don't worry about me."

"I'm gonna worry about you until you have the twins." Haley turned and rubbed Brooke's round stomach. "I don't want anything happening to my little men!"

Brooke laughed, "Okay you can come into work tomorrow but I want you to take it easy tomorrow and let me handle things. You are still sore from labor."

xoxo

The next day Brooke arrived to the café early to oversee all work being done to remodel the store. The brown wood wallpaper was removed from the walls and replaced with different types of paint and wallpaper. One wall was all white while the wall to the restroom was all black tile and one wall was white with black polka dots. The old wooden tables and chairs were replaced with modern silver tables and chairs.

Brooke requested the bar be pushed further back to give the café more room for tables and chairs. Along the walls of the café were silver booths with earth tones pillows and cushions on the inside to warm up the café. The brown doors were now painted grey but held brown and blue glass blocks in the windows.

The tiny brown stage was now a large brown stage in the corner of the café. On the stage sat a single microphone and a single brown stool. Black and white pictures of Haley, Lucas, and Karen in the café when the café first opened up were hanging on the wall behind the stage. She had the old sign from Karen's café hanging on the wall behind the stage as well.

"Someone once told me this is the place where everything's better and safe." Haley said as she took in the sight of the old blue sign hanging from the wall. "Where did you find that?"

Brooke turned on her heel to see her friend standing behind her, "What are you doing her Hales?"

"I missed working here so I had to come in early!" She was bouncing Lydia in her arms, "And I'm glad I did. There seems to be a lot of change!"

Brooke bit down on her bottom lip and took her niece from Haley's bouncing arms, "Do you guys like it?" She said in a baby voice to Lydia. She was nervous about Haley's reaction to the store so she kept her attention on Lydia.

Haley scanned the redone café and couldn't help but smile, "it's beautiful Brooke!"

Brooke clapped baby Lydia's hands together and squealed. "I'm glad you two like it because the contractors have gone home." She laughed and placed Lydia back into her mother's arms. "This is our little place now!"

"A place where our kids and grand-kids can grow up just like we did." Haley smiled as she looked around the café again.

"That is what I'm most excited about. I'm excited to bring Juliet and the twins here to grow up and have as much fun in here as I have!" Brooke felt herself beginning to tear up so she waved her hands in front of her wet eyes.

Haley laughed and placed Lydia in her stroller, "Okay before we start crying let's get to work!" She clapped her hands at Brooke.

Brooke grabbed Haley's clapping hands, "I heard you, boss!"

"Partner!" Haley slipped her hands away from Brooke's grip and hugged her. "This is our store now!"

Brooke began to pout as tears streamed down her cheeks, "Partner?"

"Partner!" Haley laughed and nodded her head, "I keep forgetting your pregnant." She made pinching motions towards Brooke's round belly.

"Let's get to work!" Brooke brushed her tears away. She didn't want Haley to start treating her like she was fragile so she quickly changed the topic. "Today is our first day of business for the new and improved Karen's Café."

Haley walked over to the doors of the café and switched the sign from closed to open like she'd done so many times as a teenager who worked at the café for extra money and an excuse to get out of the house.

Haley slid an apron over her head and tied it around her back, "You want an apron?" She held one up for Brooke.

Brooke laughed, "Yeah right!" She flipped her brown hair from her shoulders and kept her attention on playing with her niece. "My outfit is way too pretty for an apron to be covering it up." Brooke had on three inch black booties with a grey wrap dress and a black motorcycle jacket. "Not that your outfit is ugly!" She turned to Haley.

Haley nodded slowly and turned away from Brooke to sort out of silverware, "You're so lucky you're pregnant with my nephews!" She playfully held up a butter knife.

Brooke playfully gasped and covered her stomach with a menu she found on a near by table, "You'd hurt me?"

Haley looked over her shoulder at Brooke and laughed, "You're gonna need three menus to cover up that big belly of yours."

Her mouth dropped open and she hit Haley with the menu she was holding, "Are you calling me fat Haley Bob Scott?"

Haley continued to laugh at her pregnant best friend, "I'm calling you pregnant! Very pregnant."


	46. Chapter 46

"Brooke! You take it easy today!" Lucas kissed his pregnant wife softly on the lips.

Brooke sighed lightly and rubbed her round stomach, "I promise your dreams aren't going to come true."

"Nightmares!" Lucas said with serious dark eyes.

Lucas had been having dreams of Brooke going into labor while lifting heavy objects in the kitchen of Karen's Café. It kept Lucas up every night and he was convinced it was going to happen soon. Brooke thought nothing of the dreams but Lucas insisted of driving her to work and checking in on her during their lunch breaks. This had gone on for a week and Brooke still hadn't gone into an early labor.

Brooke gently took Lucas' face into her hands, "I will be alright! If I start to feel anything weird I will call you."

Lucas smiled sadly at his wife but nodded his head once, "Okay I trust you but stay away from lifting heavy stuff!"

"I will. I will!" Brooke kissed him on his lips before climbing out of the old red Mustang and walking inside of the busy café.

"Good morning Brooke!" The customers greeted Brooke with a loud greeting like they did every morning she worked at the café.

"God, I love that!" Brooke's face lite up as she walked back into the kitchen where she found her business partner and best friend Haley holding her crying daughter.

"Oh please Lydia!" Haley bounced the crying baby in her arms.

Brooke tapped Haley on the shoulder and smiled as she extended her arms out. Haley hesitated but handed her daughter over to Brooke.

"Are you my baby?" Brooke gently poked the baby girl's stomach, "Are you mine?" She smiled as the little girl laughed up at her, "No! You're not mine!" Brooke's playfully widened her eyes, "Well can Aunt Brooke steal you?"

Haley let out a sigh of relief as her daughter stopped crying once she was in her Aunt Brooke's arms.

"Oh Brooke!" Haley hugged her friend, "You're gonna be great with the twins."

Brooke laughed and began to bounce Lydia back to sleep. "I hope you're there when I'm about to melt down when they are both crying at the same time!"

"Oh I'll be there!" Haley smiled widely and took her sleeping daughter gently from Brooke's arms. She placed Lydia in her crib set up in the back.

"Now get back to work Tutor Mom!" Brooke playfully snapped her fingers at Haley and turned on her four inch heel to go fetch their aprons.

"Oh Brooke Scott is finally putting on an apron today?" Haley playfully teased her best friend.

Brooke rolled her chocolate brown eyes and smiled, "I feel like a whale today and an apron will be something to hide behind while I work!"

Haley and Brooke put on their aprons and Haley helped a very pregnant Brooke tie up her apron so it would remain closed. Haley went out to wait on tables out front while Brooke sorted through inventory in the back.

A large bag of flour needed to be put on a high shelf but Haley was too busy with their last bit of breakfast customers to help Brooke. They were the only two working until the lunch time hour so Brooke decided to put the flour up on the top shelve herself.

She threw the heavy bag of flour over her shoulder and she began to climb the short ladder to reach the high shelf. Haley rushed into the back to check up on her daughter when she saw Brooke struggling with a bag of flour.

"Oh no!" Haley ran over to Brooke and took the bag of flour from Brooke's hand, "Are you crazy?"

Brooke sighed heavily, "I was doing just fine! I almost had it."

Haley laughed in disbelief, "You almost fell too!" She dropped the large bag of flour back into the box it came from and offered her hand to Brooke. "Get down!"

Brooke pouted and refused Haley's hand, "I got it!" She began to make her way down the six step ladder but her four inch heel slipped and Brooke fell backwards off of the ladder.

"Oh. My. God!" Haley watched her pregnant fall onto the cold tile floor. Haley rushed over to Brooke's side, "Brooke, are you okay?"

Brooke hit her head on the box containing the flour packs and hit her back on the hard tile floor, "Call Lucas. I think my water just broke."

Haley remained still and in shock as the words repeated in her head, _"My water just broke!" _

"Hales?" Brooke snapped in Haley's pale white face, "Earth to Tutor Mom!"

Haley shook her head and jumped up from her spot on the tile floor. She retrieved her phone from Lydia's baby bag and she dialed Lucas' number.

"Lucas is on his way!" Haley nodded once, "Oh we still have customers." She rushed out to the front and grabbed money from the cash register. "Sorry you guys but you gotta go! My best friend just went into labor!" She began to rush the customers out of their chairs, "Go! Bye!"

Moments later Lucas ran through the double doors of the café. "Where is she?"

Haley and Lucas both dashed back into the back of the café where Brooke was sitting up against the wall with Lydia in her arms.

"How in the world did you get up?" Haley hands flew up to her chest, "Were you faking it?"

Brooke laughed and shook her head, "I crawled to a crying Lydia! My water just broke, I'm fine!"

Both Lucas and Haley laughed in disbelief as they watched a calm Brooke play with her niece.

"Do you not hear what you just said?" Haley took Lydia from Brooke's arms, "Why are you so calm you freak?" She playfully teased her best friend.

Brooke hit Haley in the arm, "Get me off of this damn floor!" She snapped at Lucas and Haley. A contraction was now shooting up her stiff stomach.

Lucas snapped out of his frozen stance and helped his wife off of the dirty tile floor. "Let's get you to the hospital!" With ease he picked her up into his arms and carried her to his old Mustang sitting out front.

"I'll meet you guys at the hospital!" Haley waved goodbye to the expecting couple, "Good luck!"

Brooke watched from the back seat of Lucas' Mustang as the sight of Haley and Lydia began to fade into the background of the city. Lucas arrived at the hospital within a few minutes.

"You want a wheelchair?" Lucas offered to his wife as he helped her out of the back seat of his car.

"No, I'm okay!" Brooke held her stomach with one hand and squeezed Lucas' hand with another, "We're about to have our babies!"

The excited couple walked through the parking deck for the maternity ward. Brooke began to get a contraction as they made their way to the doors.

"Okay move!" Brooke rudely rushed an elderly woman holding flowers out of the way, "I'm pregnant! Move!" She pushed past the elderly woman and walked inside.

"Sorry she's in labor!" Lucas apologized for his wife's rude behavior.

Brooke leaned over the receptionist's desk, "I'm Brooke Penelope Scott and I'm in labor!" She panted to the nurse sitting behind the desk.

"You better hurry or she'll bit your head off." The elderly lady said from behind Brooke.

Brooke turned and shot the old woman a look that made her walk away. They offered Brooke a wheelchair and Lucas pushed her to her assigned room.

Inside the room Brooke got changed into the silk robe she made for herself and packed in her hospital bag. She was comfortable in the large hospital bed with machines hooked up to her stomach and an IV attached in her hands.

"Are you contracting again?" Lucas sat down at Brooke's bed side.

Brooke shook her head and pouted, "I wish I would have pigged out yesterday now that I know I can't eat while I'm in labor."

Lucas was pulling a chocolate bar from Brooke's hospital bag to snack on but he slipped it back into the bag. "I'm sorry!"

Brooke grabbed his hand and squeezed it tight, "I have a feeling you're gonna be apologizing a lot today! Please stop." She tightly shut her eyes and took a deep breath before releasing his hand, "Sorry contraction."

Lucas shook his red hand out beside him, "You gotta start warning me about that!"

"That probably won't happen!" Brooke picked up a cup of ice sitting on her bed side and she began to crunch down on her ice.

Haley rushed into the chilly hospital room, "How are you doing?" Her daughter Lydia was no longer with her.

"I'm dying of hunger and pain." Brooke said with a straight face, "How are you?"

Haley laughed but stopped as she got a glance of Brooke's serious face. "It'll get better!" She brushed her friend's hair from her face, "I promise."

"I hope it does!" Lucas mumbled underneath his breath as he flipped through the newspaper.

Brooke shot her husband a look, "I wish you could feel the pain I'm feeling right now as I'm about to push out your twin sons!"

Lucas held up his red hand, "I think this is enough, thanks though!"

Haley laughed as she watched the couple bicker back and forth, "This reminds me of Nathan and I when Lydia was born!"

"How'd you get through it?" Brooke pouted as she rubbed her stiff stomach.

"Drugs!" Haley gave her shoulders a shrug as she sat down on the hospital bed with her friend, "I requested the epidural as soon as I could."

Brooke quickly pressed the nurse button on her bed remote. A nurse appeared in Brooke's hospital room moments later.

"You pressed your button Mrs. Scott?" The young blond nurse walked to Brooke's bed side.

"Can I have my epidural now?" Brooke couldn't wipe the sad frown from her face, "Now!" She ordered as the nurse just stared at her.

The nurse flinched and checked how far long Brooke was. "Okay well you're about five centimeters so you can have it now!" The nurse handed Brooke the paperwork for the epidural. "Just look over these and sign on the dotted lines."

Brooke snatched the paper work from the nurse's hand and quickly signed them with a pen she found in Haley's purse. "Here!" She pushed the papers back into the nurse's hands.

The nurse frowned at Brooke's rudeness but understood that she was in severe pain. She got Brooke' doctor to sign off on the papers before she came back with the epidural.

"This is going to hurt but all of the pain will disappear after about ten to twenty minutes." The nurse informed Brooke as she cleaned off the area on Brooke's back where she was going to give the shot.

Lucas and Brooke's fingers were laced together and Lucas' job was to distract Brooke from the painful shot about to be given to her spine.

"Just think! In a few hours we will be parents to two beautiful sons and a beautiful daughter!" Lucas said with a bright smile.

Brooke smiled and nodded slowly, "I can't wait! We're done after this, right? No more babies for us?"

Lucas laughed and nodded, "Maybe."

"Huh?" Brooke was distracted by Lucas so she almost forgot about the shot taking place against her spine.

"All done." The nurse peeled off her gloves, "You're pretty fair along so you should be pushing pretty soon."

An hour passed before Brooke was checked again and she was declared to be about nine centimeters dilated.

Brooke smiled and clapped her hands together, "We're gonna meet our babies soon! You wanna place a bet?" She held her pinkies out toward Lucas and Haley.

Haley linked her pinky with her best friend and smiled, "I'm in! What is the bet about?"

Lucas laughed and played along with his wife as he linked his pinky with hers.

"I bet that one of the twins is going to come out looking like Lucas and the other like Nathan!" Brooke said with a laugh, "It may sound funny but I'm being totally serious! Either that or I'm just feeling silly because of the drugs!"

Before anyone could say anything Brooke began to feel an intense amount of pressure. Her brown eyes widened as she dropped hold of Haley and Lucas' pinky fingers.

"Brooke, you okay?" Lucas jumped up from the chair he'd been sitting in by her bedside.

Brooke shook her head, "I feel like I'm pushing and I can't help it."

"I'll go get the doctor." The usually graceful woman tripped on her way to the door.

"Hales, I can just press the nurse button!" Brooke called out to her best friend.

Haley turned on her heel and raced back inside the room, "Of course!"

A nurse appeared in the doorway to Brooke's room. "You pressed the button?"

"I am starting to feel pressure and I feel like I'm holding onto dear life." Brooke said breathlessly. "I feel like the twins are slipping out."

The nurse laughed and disappeared behind the hospital door. She reappeared with three other nurses and Brooke's doctor.

"Lucas Eugene Scott!" Brooke called out to her husband as she pushed out the first twin, "Catch him please!" She was sobbing as she did one last push and the first twin was delivered.

"I got him Brooke but please stop crying." Lucas laughed and kissed his wife's cheek. "Everything is alright! Just keep pushing!"

Brooke obeyed her husband but only had to push three times before the second twin was delivered and placed into Brooke's arms.

"Jude Eugene Scott and Davis Lucas Scott!" Brooke smiled widely down at the newly born Davis Scott. "Lucas Scott we did good!"


	47. Chapter 47

"Hello my handsome men!" Brooke whispered down to her sleeping newborn babies as they slept peacefully in their cribs.

Lucas wrapped his arms around his wife and smiled, "I'm proud of you Brooke! You are such an amazing mother!"

Brooke sat up straight and kissed her husband softly on the lips, "Thank you hubby! Now is though comes the real test." She wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

"What?" Lucas raised an eyebrow after waiting several moments for Brooke to finish her train of thought but all she did was smirk up at him.

"I want you so bad!" Brooke pouted and released her hold on her husband's neck. "This sucks."

Lucas chuckled but covered his mouth as his loud chuckle echoed throughout the blue baby nursery. Brooke pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"Brooke?" Lucas crept back into the nursery an hour later to check in on his wife and sons.

Brooke sat inside in a brown wooden rocking chair with their son, Jude Eugene, in her arms. Jude was being bounced slowly and lightly in his mother's arms.

Lucas smiled and stood in the door way admiring his wife's natural mothering skills, "You're amazing Brooke Penelope Scott!"

Brooke looked up from Jude and smiled widely, "I know!" She gave her husband a wink. "But we think you are pretty amazing too!" She held up Jude and made the infant wave at his handsome father.

Lucas laughed and entered the nursery, "Thank you little man." He gave his son a gentle kiss on the forehead. "And thank you too pretty girl." He kissed Brooke tenderly on the lips.

Davis' cry began to echo throughout the nursery but Lucas calmly grabbed his newborn son and left the nursery with him in his arms to make him a bottle in the kitchen.

"Oh. My. God!" Brooke almost whispered as she peeled a dirty diaper from Jude's bottom. "I forgot baby's poop like they are pooping machines!"

A familiar laugh came from the doorway to the nursery.

"Pooping machines?" Peyton questioned Brooke as she walked into the nursery with a sleeping Sawyer attached to her chest with a baby harness.

Brooke reframed from gasping and frightening her son but she managed squealed quietly without scaring Jude, " and Sawyer!" She changed Jude's dirty diaper and quickly hugged her best friend.

"You seem to be a natural at this whole mothering thing!" Peyton began to slowly bounce up and down to relax Sawyer.

"Well I have done this before with Juliet." Brooke rocked Jude to sleep and placed him back into his crib.

She escorted Peyton and Sawyer from the nursery and out to the living room.

"I haven't seen you in forever!" Brooke finally squealed loudly at Peyton, "I've missed you both."

Peyton smiled down and unbuckled her daughter from the black harness. "I've been busy with this crazy little girl! She actually is a lot like you."

Brooke clapped her hands together, "I told you it was bound to happen! You did choose to name her after the oh so wonderful me!"

Peyton laughed and took a seat on one of the tan couches in Brooke's living room, "Well we'll see if it's just a phase!" She teased Brooke.

"Oh please! Being amazing isn't just a phase." Brooke took Sawyer from Peyton's arms, "Hey sweet girl!"

"So who else has been over since you and Luke brought the twins home?" Peyton melted further into the couch as she relaxed.

"Haley and Nathan came home with us obviously they brought Jamie and Lydia." Brooke played with the baby girl in her hands, "Hello!" Brooke's face lite up as the girl giggled.

"All of our worlds are just full of babies!" Peyton noted as she watched Brooke with Sawyer. "We've become boring moms!"

Brooke placed the girl on her hip and turned to Peyton, "I'm never going to be a boring mom!" She kicked up her foot revealing the tan wedge heels she had on her feet. "None of us have to worry about becoming boring moms!"

Brooke handed Sawyer back to Peyton and for the first time all day she got a chance to actually sit down and relax.

"Haley was a rock star and people are still requesting another album out of her!" Brooke took a deep breath as she sank back into the comfortable couch, "I am a fashion designer who is working on a new baby's clothing line and you own a successful record company!"

Peyton smiled widely and nodded once, "We're pretty damn cool!"

"Indeed!" Juliet waltzed into the living room and smiled, "You guys are pretty amazing!" She plopped herself down onto the couch beside her mother.

Brooke laughed and pulled her daughter into a hug, "I'm glad you can approve of me and your Aunt Peyton and your Aunt Haley!"

Juliet wrapped her arms around her mother, "I think you're all awesome because you're the best moms in the world!"

Brooke looked down at her daughter with tears filling her eyes, "Okay suck up! What do you want?" She began to tickle her daughter. "Did daddy tell you to come in here and say that?"

Juliet squirmed and laughed as she tried to get away from her mother's tickling fingers. "It's just how I feel momma!" She said between laughs.

"Let's face it Brooke!" Peyton said from the couch, "Our kids are just nicer and sweeter than we were at their age. They are nicer than we will ever be or ever have been!"

"Oh that's so true! Although we all had our moments of kindness, our kids just beat us." Brooke smiled sadly at the memories of high school.

Juliet looked back and forth between her mother and her Aunt Peyton. "What were you two like growing up?"

"Aunt Peyton was mean!" Brooke winked over at her best friend, "She almost ran your father one night after a game."

Peyton's mouth dropped open, "It was an accident!" She began to explain to a horrified Juliet. "I was looking for a cd while driving and I looked up and Lucas was standing in the middle of the street dribbling his basketball."

Brooke laughed, "She was just a bad driver and daddy was just bad for playing in the street!"

"Your mom was a bully!" Peyton nodded towards Brooke. "She slapped me once."

"Oh I remember that!" Haley walked into the house with Nathan who had Lydia attached to him with a baby harness against his chest just like Peyton. Jamie followed in after his parents. "But in all fairness Peyton, you deserved it!"

"What are we talking about?" Jamie sat down on the floor in between his Aunt Brooke and his Aunt Peyton.

Juliet joined him on the floor, "They were talking about what they were like growing up."

"Oh what was my mom like?" Jamie asked with wide, curious eyes.

Lucas came down stairs with both twins in his arms. He placed Davis in his wife's arms and took a seat on the couch beside her. "I can answer that one!"

"Your mom was a nerd!" Nathan blurted out and Haley gave him a punch in the arm.

"She was also a fighter!" Lucas added in after witnessing the punch to Nathan's muscular arm.

Jamie scrunched up his nose, "You were a nerd mom?"

"No!" Haley squealed, "I went on tour in high school so your momma was a rockstar!"

Jamie shook his head and crossed his tiny arms over his chest, "I don't believe you!"

Peyton pulled out one of Haley's cds from Sawyer's pink baby bag. "Believe it James! Your mother was once a pretty awesome rockstar."

Jamie took the cd from his Aunt Peyton's fingers and both he and Juliet gasped at the cd's cover art.

"Go Aunt Haley!" Juliet said with a clap of her hands. "You look awesome here."

Haley stood up from the couch and playfully gave everyone a bow, "Thank you!"

"Oh gosh! Boosted ego activated!" Brooke laughed as she hit her friend with a pillow.

"You remember what Lucas was like?" Haley said with a wide smile.

Brooke gave her chocolate brown eyes a roll, "He was oh so dreamy!"

Haley laughed and pretended to gag. "Lucas went through so many phases!" She giggled as she thought about Lucas throughout his high school years. "There was athletic Lucas who wore nothing but basketball shorts and tanks."

"Rocker Lucas!" Peyton pointed at the sandy haired man, "He bleached his hair super blond and started wearing skinny jeans and really tight shirts."

"Cowboy Lucas!" Nathan said with a chuckle, "He wore those ugly brown cowboy boots every day for a year!"

Lucas frowned and looked down at the dark boots that he was wearing on his feet, "I liked my boots."

"What about me?" Brooke kissed her husband, "What did you all think of me?"

"Bit…" Haley stopped herself from cussing in front of their children, "You were mean Brooke!"

Brooke's mouth dropped open, "Why does everyone keep saying that? I was not that mean!"

"Yeah you were!" Peyton nodded in agreement to Haley, "You used to approach girls in the hallways of school and let them know how ugly their outfits were and you used make them go home and change them."

"I was doing those girls a favor!" Brooke defended herself, "People should just know not to go to school looking like a mess! You could find your soul mate at school." She smiled and looked down at her sleeping son, "I've changed though."

"The biggest transformation is Nathan!" Lucas gave his brother a strong pat on the shoulder.

Everyone nodded in agreement to Lucas' statement about Nathan.

"Nathan was a jerk!" Haley playfully nudged her husband in the side, "He only dated me to get back at Lucas for winning that one on one game back when we were freshmen."

Peyton frowned and nodded at the memory of the game, "Nathan traded me at that game! He also made me walk home one day after kicking me out of his car and calling my music lame."

Nathan winced at the painful memory of his relationship with Peyton. "I'm so sorry about that! I will be the first to admit that I was a huge jerk."

Brooke looked around the room at her friends and couldn't help but smile at each happy face.

"We've come a long way." Brooke felt tears filling up her eyes, "I'm so proud of all of us! We've all lived out our dreams and are still living them today."

Haley pouted as tears began to cascade down her hot red cheeks, "We're all one big happy family and I wouldn't trade it in for anything in the world!"

"We've been through so much together and we know each other better than anyone." Nathan added as he pulled his emotional wife into a hug.

"In our lives we've been to some great places and we've done some wonderful things!" Peyton began to cry along with her friends.

"But no matter where we go…" Lucas kissed Brooke on her cheek, "Or who we become this place will always be with you!"

"There is only one Tree Hill and it is our home." Haley finished Lucas' sentence. "That will forever ring true."

"Forever…" Peyton started.

"And always!" The group of friends finished the quote in unison.

"Gosh that was so Naley!" Brooke said with a laugh.


	48. Chapter 48

[**Ten Years Later**]

"Mom, come on! You always take forever getting ready." Juliet stood on the bottom of the spiral stairs in her home as she waited for her mother to emerge from behind the door leading to her bedroom.

Brooke pulled opened the door to her bedroom and she almost cried as she took in the sight of her now sixteen year old daughter standing at the bottom of the stairs in her cheerleading uniform.

Juliet gave her chocolate brown eyes a slight roll as she saw the tears forming into her mother's eyes. "Mom, you do this every single Friday night!" She pulled her mother into a tight squeeze, "I love you though dork."

Brooke quickly pulled away from her daughter's tight hold on her, "Excuse me? Dork? I am no dork!"

A flash took both girls by surprise but smiles grew on both of their lips as Lucas Scott stood nearby taking photos of the two.

"Say cheese?" Lucas held the camera up to his eye and nodded once before taking a photo of his wife and his daughter, "Now can we go?"

Jude and Davis came running from their bedrooms and down the spiral staircase in their home.

"Is it time to go now?" The ten year old boys raced out of the front door and towards their father's old red Mustang sitting in the driveway.

"Drive safely!" Brooke threw her daughter's the keys to a baby blue BMW, just like the one she had when she was in high school.

Juliet caught the keys mid-air and quickly got into the driver's seat of the car, speeding off in the direction of Sawyer Brooke's home. Brooke and Lucas watched their daughter speed away with worried eyes but both knew she was a responsible and smart teen.

"You boys buckled in back there?" Brooke called out to her twin sons who were sitting in the back seat of the Mustang.

Both boys answered their mother in unison, "Yes momma!"

A bright smile stretched across the faces of the proud parents of the twins, Lucas and Brooke Scott.

"To the café?" Lucas asked the car full of his family.

"Off to the café!" The entire family answered in unison as Lucas drove towards the café still owned by his wife and his best friend, Haley Scott.

The family arrived at the café and each parent took the hand of one of the twins. Jude held onto his father's hand and Davis held onto his mother's hand as the family walked across the street to the café together.

"Hey Hales!" Lucas released the hand of his son so he could go play with his cousin, Lydia, of the same age. Brooke did the same with Davis and she watched the boys disappear by the counter.

Haley and Nathan were inside of the closed café. Nathan was sitting in one of the booths of the café while his wife, Haley, stood behind the counter making coffee for all of the adults to have before they all left.

"Hey little brother!" Lucas greeted his younger brother with a giant hug before he moved across the café to his best friend, "Hey Hales!"

Nathan turned to a petite Brooke and took her into a tight hug, "Hey little sis!"

Brooke smiled from ear to ear as she wrapped her arms around Nathan, "Hey brother-in-law! You're looking good." She gave his muscular stomach a few pats. "You're not getting fat now that you're not playing basketball anymore, are you?"

Nathan gave up basketball after realizing his body was never going to fully recover from the bar fight that left him paralyzed for almost a year. He would rather spend time with his son on the basketball court for the occasional spare of the moment type of game than traveling and further messing up his body's frame.

"Jamie would never let that happen to his old man! He has me up early every day to run with him before school." Nathan smiled proudly.

"I'm proud of him!" Brooke squealed and touched her pink cheeks, "My nephew grew up to be amazing young man."

Haley sniffled a bit as she and Lucas brought the cups of coffee over to her waiting best friend and her husband.

"I'm gonna cry!" Haley said behind a deep pout.

Nathan playfully rolled his eyes as he took his pouting wife into his strong arms, "You do this every Friday night, Hales!"

"Every single Friday!" Lucas agreed with his brother as he took his own wife into his arms. "It has officially become a tradition for Haley to cry."

A horn sounded off from outside of the store and parked outside at a red light was Juliet. In the car with Juliet sat her best friend, Jenny Jagielski. Juliet was honking her horn at her cousin, James Scott. Jamie was racing up the street with his hoodie over his sandy blond hair as his basketball led the way.

The adults watched their now teenage children from the window of the café.

Jamie peeled the gray hood from his head and he climbed into the car with his cousin and friend. Juliet sped off in the direction of the high school. The speed of the car and the sound of rubber burning made Haley flinch.

"I see she learned how to drive from you, Brooke!" Haley noted about the teen's dangerous driving.

Brooke playfully pushed Haley and gasped, "I do not drive badly! I am an excellent driver."

"Now you are!" Nathan turned to his sister-in-law, "But in high school you were a terrible driver."

Brooke's mouth fell open and her husband playfully pushed it closed. Brooke swatted away his long fingers.

"Uh-oh!" Peyton walked into the café hand in hand with her daughter Sawyer and her husband Jake Jagielski. "Brooke's feelings are hurt whenever she makes that face."

Brooke pulled her mouth shut but squealed at the sight of her niece, "Hey cutie pie!" She kneeled down and pulled her blond haired niece into her arms.

"Hey Aunt Brooke!" The quiet ten year old said into her Aunt's shoulder, "Hey Uncle Lucas and Nathan and Aunt Haley."

Brooke gave her niece a squeeze before releasing her from her hold and standing back on her two feet, "Davis and Jude are in the back playing with Lydia." Brooke took Peyton into a hug. "Back to blond I see!"

Peyton touched her long curls and smiled, "Rocking what my mama gave me!"

"Oh no you didn't! But aren't you wearing extensions?" Haley playfully teased her friend as she fixed one of her friend's curls. "Hey Jakester!" She hugged her friend's quiet husband.

The men gathered by the bar of the café while the women all gathered at a table in the café. Although the friends saw one another on a regular basis they spent the time before the games on Friday night catching up with one another.

An hour later Davis and Jude came running from the back of the cafe with Lydia and Sawyer running behind them.

"Momma? Is it time to go yet?" Davis tugged on the sleeve of his mother's brown cashmere sweater, "Can we go see Jamie play now?"

Haley squealed loudly as she checked the time on her smart phone, "It's time to go!"

Haley and Nathan gathered together with their daughter Lydia while Lucas and Brooke gathered and joined hands with their twin boys. Peyton and Jake led the group out of the door with their daughter, Sawyer, in between the two of them.

The families made their way down the street toward the nearby high school.

"I'm so nervous!" Haley squealed as the high school came into their view.

"You're always nervous!" Nathan said to his wife as they headed towards the double doors leading inside of the gym.

Inside of the gym sat their friends, Skillz and Bevin saving them all seats on the front row of the bleachers. Bevin and Skillz married shortly after Bevin arrived back in Tree Hill after a sudden end to her first marriage.

"There goes Mouth and Millie!" Haley called out to her gathered up friends.

At nine months pregnant, Millicent and her husband, Mouth, made their way into the gym. The two had only been married a year before finding out they were expecting a daughter together. Brooke hired Millicent at her new child's boutique to keep the couple in town.

"Hey Millie!" Everyone greeted Millie's large baby bump before actually hugging the pregnant woman and her husband.

"Who would have ever thought we would be willingly hanging out with Chris Keller on a Friday night?" Lucas nodded towards the singer walking toward them.

Chris Keller was now signed to Peyton's record label thanks to Haley talking him into getting back into singing after taking a four year break. Although Chris and Haley briefly dated in high school when Haley went on tour, Nathan was now able to be good friends with Chris.

"Certainly not me!" Nathan answered his brother before turning to Chris Keller and giving him a tough pat on the shoulder.

Following behind Chris Keller was Chase Adams. The young brunette male was a bartender at Tric but wasn't very good at his job and his job was jeopardized after his boss, Lucas, found out how Chase and Brooke knew one another. Brooke took Chase's virginity at a college party after Brooke got the boy drunk for the first time.

"Hey Brooke!" Chase greeted the curvy woman with a tight hug. Out of the corner of his eye he watched out for his boss' reaction.

Lucas gave Chase a gentle pat on the shoulder, "I'm watching you buddy!" He mouthed to the frightened young man.

Chase and Chris took their places on the bleachers behind Brooke and Lucas just as Haley's sister Quinn and her husband, Clay Evans joined the group of friends on the bleachers.

"Hey Quinn! Hey Clay!" Everyone greeted the married couple.

Quinn and Clay now had been married for nine years and were raising Clay's son from his previous marriage, Logan Evans. Quinn just found out she was pregnant that morning and it read all over her face but she fought the urge to announce it to all of her family and friends.

Julian Baker and his wife Alex Dupre rushed onto the bleachers after Clay and Quinn. Julian was back in Tree Hill because he was working with Lucas to make his first book into a television show rather than a movie. _"More time spent in the wonderful town of Tree Hill." _Julian often stated about the television show.

The game started as the friends all turned their attention towards the dimming lights of the gym. Blue and white lights began to flash on the floor and walls of the court as the cheerleaders began to cheer for the basketball players of The Tree Hill Ravens Basket Ball Team.

Brooke and Peyton watched in awe as their daughters cheered on their team like they had done so many times before during their time in high school. Lucas, Nathan, and Skillz watched as the team members of the basketball team began to file out onto the floor of the gym like they had done so many times before they all graduated from high school. Haley clapped and smiled sadly as she thought back onto high school and where she started off.

_"My freshman year I would not have even begin to think that this is where I'd end up here."_ Haley thought to herself as she glanced over at her husband, _"I'm married and have guys by Nathan Scott, the guy I hated the most!"_

Nathan looked down at his wife and smiled as he caught her staring up at him with eyes filled with tears, _"I didn't even notice her during our freshman year of high school."_ He stopped his clapping and pulled his wife into his arms, _"But I'm glad my brother brought her to my attention even if it was in the wrong way because she has made me the happiest man alive."_

_"Brooke Davis is different! I promise."_ Lucas smiled down at his wife as the memory of him trying to convince Haley of the good in his then high school girlfriend. _"Man was I right or what? Brooke Davis is pretty special and I feel pretty damn lucky to have her by my side."_

_"Here we go again!"_ Brooke let out a heavy sigh as she watched her daughter move with grace in the corner of the court as she cheered for the boys of the basketball team_, "That is me all over again! I just hope she finds someone as special as her father to guide her in the right direction."_

Peyton watched her daughter with a sad smile stretched across her pink face, _"I hope she finds happiness in the cloud of toxic that is high school drama."_ She looked up at her husband and her sad smile instantly turned into a happy one, _"Like I did!" _

The children of the adults all stood together on the set of bleachers next to their parents. Sawyer Brooke held hands with her best friend Lydia Scott while Jude and Davis clapped and cheered on their cousin, James. Logan waved over to the adults but turned back to cheering on Jamie.

"James Lucas Scott!" The announcer said over the intercom as the teenager ran out onto the floor of the gym. Jamie's family and friends watched on with such pride in the talented and devoted teenage boy.

Nathan glanced up on the wall of the gym at the jersey of his son that was hanging on the wall next to his high school jersey. "I'm proud of you son." He yelled out from his position on the bleachers.

Haley gave her husband a tight squeeze, "Now we're the parents standing in the bleachers proudly shouting out to their kids!" Both parents shrugged their shoulders and yelled in unison with their friends, "Go Jamie!"


End file.
